Secrets In The Room of Requirement
by RobinTheSlytherin
Summary: Three Gryffindors and three Slytherins end up trapped together in the Room of Requirement with no magic and no means of escape! It seems Hogwarts has its own plans for creating havoc. Will they learn to accept one another, or will they just end up killing each other? (Eventual Draco/Hermione, Ron/Pansy, Harry/Theodore)
1. Chapter 1

**SUMMARY- Three Gryffindors and three Slytherins end up trapped together in the Room of Requirement with no magic and no means of escape! It seems Hogwarts has its own plans for creating havoc. Will they learn to accept one another, or will they just end up killing each other?**

 **Eventual Draco/Hermione, Ron/Pansy, Harry/Theodore**

.

 **Secrets In The Room of Requirement**

 **By- RobinTheslytherin**

 **.**

 **Chapter One**

 **Trapped**

Harry, Ron, and Hermione ran at breakneck speed through the Seventh Floor Corridor. Hermione was in the lead as she headed towards the hidden entrance, opposite the tapestry depicting Barnabas the Barmy.

On their tails were three of Umbridge's Inquisitorial Squad: Draco Malfoy, Pansy Parkinson, and Theodore Nott.

"Nowhere to run Scarhead! It's a dead end!" Draco laughed as he ran faster with a triumphant grin spreading across his face "We've got you now!"

Hermione paced as quick as she could. The entranced opened and the Golden Trio rushed inside. Unfortunately, the entrance remained open long enough for all three Slytherins to spill into the room, before the entrance promptly closed with a snap.

"Gottcha!" Draco taunted the trio raising his wand at eye level "Stupefy!"

Harry, Ron and Hermione weren't quick enough, but braced themselves for the stunning spell…

Which never came.

Hermione peeked open one eye, to find Draco Malfoy looking down in confusion at his wand, and wearing an expression of embarrassed discomfort.

"Stupefy!" Malfoy shouted with a little more force.

Again, nothing happened.

"STUPEFY! STUPEFY-STUPEFY!"

"Erm…Draco?" Pansy muttered elbowing Malfoy on his side

"SHUT UP PARKINSON!" Malfoy shouted, turning a deep shame of red, and looking at his wand with an expression of betrayal. "STUPEFY!"

It was Ron's turn to laugh as he doubled over, pointing a long finger in Malfoys direction.

"Seriously, Ferret face!?" Ron laughed, grabbing hold of Harry's robes for support "And after all the shit you talk about pureblood superiority?! Oh Merlin! I c-can't!"

"Shut up, Weasel!" Draco screamed, grabbing Nott by his arm and shoving him forward "Stun him Theo! Stun him in his poor ass face!"

Theo rolled his eyes as he raised his wand, and calmly said "Stupefy"

Again, nothing happened causing Ron to fall to his knees from the sheer hilarity of it.

"S-stop! I can't- I'm gonna piss myself! HA!" Ron laughed so hard he began to cry, becoming nearly as red as Malfoy in his. He was laughing so hard that the voice box shut down and his body began to jerk around in a spasmatic effort to make a noise.

Hermione stepped toward, slapping Ron on the back so hard he nearly fell on his face from the force of it. She frowned, her brows knitting together in deep thought, as she stared from Malfoy to Theo, then to Parkinson- who still looked put out for being told to shut up.

Nott paled as he stared down at his wand, and Hermione took a cautious step forward. Raising her own wand.

Draco's eyes widened as he stared down the tip of Hermione Granger's wand. Pansy leapt behind with a squeak, while Theo who flinched as if expecting a blow.

"Lumos Maxima!" Hermione shouted confidently as if testing out a theory.

It was then that Ron Weasley's smirk melted off of his face as Hermione's wand emitted nothing from its tip.

"HA!" Malfoy jeered "Not so clever now, are you Mudblood?"

Ron moved to lunge at Malfoy, but was caught by Harry who had trouble keeping the red head from throttling the pale Slytherin.

Hermione rolled her eyes at their childish antics.

"Did you forget your own magic doesn't work?" Hermione grumbled, looking annoyed yet thoughtful "No one seems to. If my observations are correct, none of us are able to use magic. Harry, Ron- try a spell- any spell."

They did so.

"Cantis!"

"Rictusempra!"

Hermione nodded thoughtfully as their spells failed as well.

"What the hell is going on? What happened to our magic?!" Draco demanded taking a threatening step towards Hermione. "If your _really_ so cleaver, then tell us Mudblood!"

This time Harry didn't bother holding Ron back as he lunged for the Slytherin. Ron's fist connected with Malfoy's jaw, and both boys crashed to the floor. Nott jumped in grabbing a fistful of Ron's hair as Draco's hand found the red heads throat. At Nott's attack Harry jumped I the mix, and soon all four boys were wrestling one another across the floor.

Meanwhile, Pansy glared at Hermione who still seemed lost in thought.

"Well, he isn't wrong." Pansy spat venomously, placing her hands on her hips "You go around acting like the reincarnation of Rowena Ravenclaw, kissing up to all the teachers like your better than anyone! So why doesn't our magic work if you're so smart?"

Hermione ignored Pansy as she moved around the fighting boys. As she approached the door to the Room of Requirement something happened.

All of a sudden, the door disappeared, leaving nothing but a stone wall in its place.

"W-what?" Hermione's voice raised into one of panic. Her hands patted the stone, willing the door to reappear. When it didn't Hermione's pats turned into frantic punches. "No! no-no-no-no!"

The fighting behind Hermione stopped and suddenly all five of them were by her side: feeling the wall and banging their fists against it.

"HEY! OPEN UP!" Ron shouted at the wall.

Harry Slid his hands over the stones desperately trying to find a crack or seam.

Draco pointed his wand at the wall, firing off futile spells that did nothing. "REDUCTO! BOMBARDA MAXIMA! EXPULSO!"

Nott kicked his foot against the door, only to fall over, clutching his foot in pain.

" _What_ did you do Granger!?" Pansy shouted looking panicked now.

"I didn't do anything!"

"you touched the door and it vanished, so obviously you _did_ do something!"

For a moment Hermione was silent. The others stopped that they were doing and turned to her expectantly. The Slytherins did so with a great deal more animosity, but remained silent as Hermione began to pace around the massive empty room.

She walked its length for another minuet before turning to the others. Her eyes blazed as she looked up towards the ceiling.

"Room," she said suddenly, looking around "I require an exit."

Nothing.

"Room, I require a cup of water."

Instantly, a goblet of water appeared before Hermione. She kneeled down to examine the goblet, but did not touch it.

"Room, I require a large window." Hermione said standing up.

Again, her wish was met with a large window which overlooked the Forbidden Forest and the surrounding Scottish mountains.

Harry opened his mouth to speak, but was silenced by Hermione reaching for the goblet of water and hurling it as hard as she could at the window.

The Slytherins flinched back, expecting a loud crash and a scattering of glass, but like their magic- none came.

They stood in a horrible silence for until a feminine voice rang throughout the massive room.

" _Welcome students, to The Room of Requirement" called the inviting voice from above "Where I, the room, will supply any and all needs of the students of Hogwarts…under one condition."_

The others glanced nervously at one another with baited breath.

" _When truths are told, and hatred is bygone- when the ignorant are enlightened, and beliefs are broken. When fears are faced, when love has blossomed. When friendship is forged, and grief is forgotten. When laughter rings out, and youth is freed, I shall release you and cater to your every need."_

And then the voice was gone, leaving a horrified silence in its wake.

.

 **A/N—If any of you are wondering- yes, I am still working on 'Through The Cyclone of The Phoenix'. This fic, however, will not be rated M. That said, it will contain romance :D just not the graphic stuff from TTCOTP.**


	2. Chapter 2

**A/N** **—I can't even believe how man people are following this story after one post! (** **ﾉ** **ヮ** **)** **ﾉ** ***:** **･ﾟ**

 **So here's another chapter since y'all motivated me!**

 **Enjoy!**

.

 **Secrets In The Room of Requirement**

 **By- RobinTheSlytherin**

 **Chapter 2**

 **Never Have I Ever**

.

A moment after the mysterious voice vanished, chaos erupted.

"This is _all_ your fault Potter!" Malfoy ground out, rounding on the green-eyed boy. "Whenever something fucked up happens in this bloody castle- _YOU_ are _ALWAYS_ the cause!"

"I think you have me confused with someone else." Harry retorted, crossing his arms over his chest "Or did you forget that your dad licks Voldemort's boots whenever he calls?"

"This is obviously the mudbloods fault!" Pansy shrieked, pointing a perfectly manicure finger in Hermione's face.

"Hey! Leave Mione alone, you dumb bimbo!" Ron shouted back.

"Fuck off Weasel, you know she's right!" Theodore Nott shoved Ron, who then shoved him back.

Their voices rose until everyone was screaming at the top of their lungs at one another.

"Death Eater scum!"

"Stupid fucking orphan!"

"Snake bitch!"

"Useless ginger sidekick!"

"Oh, I'm not insulting you Malfoy- I'm describing you!"

"Oxygen thief!"

"Fuck off Potter! Last time I saw something like you, I flushed it!"

Hermione remained silent, rubbing her temple with the tip of her wand, as their voices became increasingly loud.

"Tell me Parkinson, do you still like nature despite what it did to your _nose_?"

"Oh, very witty! Shock me for once, and say something intelligent!"

Hermione's hazel eyes drifted behind the group and widened.

"um…guys?"

"-And your mother wears too much makeup!" Harry shouted inches from Malfoys face.

"At least I have a mother!" Draco laughed right back.

"Guys?"

"Hey Weasel, what's the difference between you and a brick?" Pansy cackled viciously "at least the brick gets laid!"

"Parkinson, your jokes are _whore_ -able, just like you!" Ron snorted with a shake of his head.

"Guys, I think you should—"

" _My_ humor is like fine food!" Parkinson giggled darkly behind her hand "Not everyone _gets_ it- especially when you have a family as poor as yours!"

"Your mother should have swallowed you, Parkinson."

"WILL YOU ALL SHUT IT!?" Hermione screamed "AND PAY ATTENTION!"

All eyes turned on Hermione, who had been completely forgotten through the verbal war.

Hermione motioned for them to turn around.

The first thing they noticed was that the room was no longer empty. At its center sat six purple armchairs surrounding a round coffee table.

In the middle of the coffee table were six bottles of Fire Whiskey, and a white card with something written on it.

Hermione was the first to cross the room, snatching the card up.

"What's it say, Mione?" Harry asked walking to stand next to her.

"It's a game." Hermione replied, eyeing the card warily.

"Game?" Ron moved past Pansy "Hey- Is that Ogden's Best Whiskey?"

"Well then read it aloud, Granger!" Nott snapped.

Hermione threw a glare at the Slytherin before clearing her throat.

" _To my honored guests, here is a game that might help break the ice_." Hermione began, shifting uncomfortably " _The game is called 'Never Have I Ever. You will take turns stating 'Never Have I Ever' followed by the statement of your choosing. If you have done what the statement suggests, you must take a drink. The bottles are charmed making lying or forfeiting the game impossible. The Whiskey has also been modified to keep whatever you learn from one another a secret. Thus, you will be unable to report anything you might hear. Do not skip your turn, or there will be consequences. Have fun..._ and its signed ROR."

"Bloody castle wants us to play a drinking game?" Ron exclaimed, then paused eyeing the bottles. "Well, at least its the good stuff. I'm in!"

Draco rolled his eyes, shoving past Pansy and Hermione.

"Screw it. I need a drink anyway." Malfoy sneered, snatching a bottle and sitting opposite of Ron "If it gets me out of here quicker, then I'll do it. And if its poison at least I won't have to subject myself to your company much longer."

Harry sat next to Ron and grabbed his own bottle. Hermione followed sitting next to Harry. Theodore and Pansy were the last to sit, eyeing the bottles suspiciously.

"Well, what are you waiting for?" Malfoy snapped, crossing one leg elegantly over the other "Hurry up. The sooner we finish the task the sooner we can get out of here!"

Pansy huffed as she sat next to Draco, pulling Theo behind her.

Soon everyone had a bottle. They glanced around at each other before Harry broke the silence.

"I guess I can go first." Harry leaned forward, resting his elbows on his knees.

"Big surprise there." Draco muttered contemptuously.

Harry narrowed his eyes at the blond, as he cleared his throat.

"Okay…um. How about something easy to start?" Harry offered, stroking. His knees "Never have I ever, um…had a crush on a Professor!"

Draco, Pansy, Ron, and to the Slytherins surprise- Hermione took a drink.

The charms around the bottles forced their hands to bring the whiskey to their lips to drink.

Hermione nearly choked, earning an amused look from Draco.

"What's wrong Granger, haven't you ever drunk before?"

Hermione continued to cough as she shook her head.

Draco snorted as she continued to cough, still looking highly amused "So? Who was it Granger?"

"W-what?"

"Your _crush_ , of course." Draco smirked wickedly "The spell summited you to drink. So, who was your professor crush?"

"Mind your own business Malfoy!" Hermione snapped back. "

Next to her Harry and Ron hid their knowing grins behind their hands.

Hermione glared at the boys, threatening them with her eyes.

"Shut it!"

"But its sooo good!" Harry laughed, leaning against Ron for support.

Pansy leaned in eagerly, giddy at the chance of knowing an embarrassing tid-bit.

"Seriously Mione! You used to outline his schedule in little pink hearts—"

"Say another word, Harry James Potter, and I swear Ill make sure you _never_ get back your Firebolt from McGonagall!"

Harry promptly shut up, causing the Slytherins to glance at one another, impressed at the power Granger had over the boy wonder.

Ron smiled mischievously as he leaned forward and whispered "Lockhart!"

"RONALD WEASLEY!"

"What? You threatened Harry not me! And besides, the bottles are charmed to prevent anyone from spilling the beans." Ron grinned, throwing Hermione a wink "I guess next time you'll agree to look over my Potions homework."

"I hate you so much right now." Hermione blushed, burying her face in her hands.

Draco smiled wolfishly.

"So Granger," Draco said pleasantly, examining his nails "into blondes are you?"

"You wish you foul little—"

"Mione?" Harry coughed motioning to Ron.

"Oh right. My turn." Ron coughed away his laughter, sitting with one leg hanging over the arm of his chair "Never have I ever had a crush on someone of my own gender."

Ron said it as a half joke, but was surprised as Harry raised his bottle to his lips to take a drink. But his surprise was nothing compared to the Slytherins reaction. Theodore Nott who drank his whiskey proudly, with a smile twitching at the corner of his mouth.

Harry on the other hand blushed a deep shade of red, looking mortified.

Ron blinked, looking pale.

"Mate?...are you," Ron paused, leaning over to place his hand on Harrys back "Do…Do you like _guys_?"

"So what if I do?" Harry said in a small voice, sinking into the armchair.

"Yeah, so what if he does?" Theodore Nott interjected, causing Draco to cock an eyebrow in surprise at his housemate defending Potter

"Got something against that Weasel?"

"What?! No! Harry, you know I don't care about that!" Ron protested, grabbing Harry's hand in his "You're my best mate! I'm just surprised I hadn't figured something like that out! I'm so thick!"

Harry shrugged, looking up to meet Nott's cold blue eyes for a fraction of a second.

"After Cho, I sorta just figured it out." Harry shrugged again "I don't really wanna talk about it."

Theodore Nott looked at Harry sharply, narrowing his blue eyes.

" _That's so_ like a Gryffindor to be so melodramatic." Nott rolled his eyes at Harry "So you like guys. So, what? I like guys. You're making it a bigger deal than it is Potty."

" I'd rather not talk about it, okay?" Harry snapped, clearly aggravated.

"Merlin Potter, its not like its taboo or anything." Nott replied with a scoff.

Harry looked up suddenly, cocking his head.

"What do you mean? Of course, it is!" Harry shouted incredulously "Uncle Vernon says….nevermind."

"Harry?" Hermione touched the boys hand with concern "What did your uncle say?"

"Nothing. Just that faggots like me were unnatural." Harry said causing Ron to gasp.

"Harry don't say that!" Hermione exclaimed.

"But hes right, Mione…It isn't natural. I'm suppose to like _girls_." Harry said as if it were the most obvious thing in the world.

"Mate that's only a stigma in _muggle_ society. It's a prejudice that doesn't carry in our world" Ron explained quietly, as Hermione nodded in agreement "Wizards and witches live _much_ longer than muggles, and the pressure of reproducing to further the family line is lightened. In a lot of ways, we're more open minded than muggles."

"and in other ways," Harry replied, glaring contemptuously Draco Malfoy "We're just as narrow minded and bigoted."

Draco, Pansy, and Theo studied Potters sudden outburst. They glanced at his friends and then towards each other.

"You're an idiot Potter." Pansy said, unconsciously slapping her hand on her thigh in frustration "And so are your filthy muggles! Whatever your _uncle_ said to you is rubbish, and if you were smart you'd curse that animal you call an uncle, and stand in your truth!"

Harry averted his eyes and blushed, not liking how it felt to have a Slytherin give him well meaning advice.

Even in her own barbarous way, Pansy Parkinson seemed to trouble herself on Harry's behalf.

Draco rolled his eyes as he watched the scene before him "If Potter doesn't want to talk about himself - _which would be a first-_ then do the rest of us a favor and shut the hell up! What do we care what gender he gets a hard in for?" Draco huffed "Anyway. Its my turn. Never have I ever done something that would send me to Azkaban!"

This time only Hermione and Harry lifted their bottles.

Draco eyed Hermione in a new light, with something akin to respect.

"Well out with it Mudblood, what did you do?"

"Stop calling her that you inbred piece of shit!" Ron shouted at Draco who turned to give him an strange expression.

"You're just as much of an inbred as I am, Weasel. Or has being a blood traitor really made you forget that?" Malfoy smirked in cruel satisfaction. "Maybe you want to be a Mudblood yourself."

"You son of a—"

"I aided and abetted a convict from Azkaban in escaping the dementors kiss by going back in time and breaking the laws of time magic." Hermione blurted out, causing a silence to fall.

For almost minuet no one spoke and stared at Hermione Granger as if she grew a second head.

"Yep. Me too." Harry smiled, breaking the silence "Oh. And I killed Professor Quirrell when I was eleven."

Pansy nearly fell out of her seat as everyone's favorite hero, Harry-do-no-wrong- Potter, confessed to killing someone.

Nott looked between them. His eyes landed on Harry who tensed under his calculating blue eyes.

"Why did you kill him?" Theodore asked, genuinely interested.

Harry bit his lip as he looked up at Nott with a strange feeling building up in his chest.

"He was housing Voldemort as a parasitical spirit under his turban, and tried to steal the Sorcerers Stone…oh, and he tried choking me to death." Harry explained, with a shrug.

"Merlin's saggy nuts, Potter!" Draco groaned in exhaustion "Why do you always get caught up in the weirdest shit?"

"Its not my fault!"

"Oh yes. I'm sure its _never_ your fault!" Draco scoffed, running a hand through his pale blonde hair. "Nothing is _ever_ your fault! Poor pathetic Potter, with the whole world against him!"

Theodore Nott cleared his throat "Can we just get on with it? Its my turn…Never have I ever snuck into another houses dorm."

This time everyone raised their glasses to their lips, causing everyone to crack a genuine smile.

Harry and Ron glanced at one another.

"Slytherin" they confessed in unison, which earned withering glares from Pansy and Draco.

"We thought Malfoy was the heir of Slytherin in second year." Ron explained

Draco raised a arched eyebrow.

"I'm flattered. You were wrong, but I'm flattered." He muttered in a deadpan tone. "I was _invited_ into Ravenclaw tower with Pansy last year for a party. We got smashed and passed out in their secret library wearing Ravenclaw house colors. It was fun."

Hermione bit her lip as Harry and Ron looked at her expectantly.

"Last year…um…Viktor invited me aboard the Drumstrang ship, and I visited their dorms for…ahem…um. Dinner." Hermione muttered quietly, flattening the pleats of her skirt.

"I TOLD YOU!" Ron shouted, leaping to his feet, pointing down at Harry "Didn't I tell her that Bulgarian had more on his mind than _friendship?_ Ha! Magical cooperation my ass!"

"You banged the Bulgarian Bon-Bon, Granger?!" Draco choked out "Isn't he like twenty?!"

"He's eighteen! And no we didn't do it!" Hermione cried, shoving Ron away from her "He was a complete gentleman. We had dinner and he took me for a walk on the deck of the ship. In the end all me did was make out, which I thoroughly enjoyed, _Ronald!_ "

Draco began a slow clap that Nott and Pansy joined.

"Way to go Granger. Didn't know you had it in you." Pansy snorted.

"Whatever Parkinson." Hermione blew off, turning to Nott who was currently eyeballing Harry.

"And you Nott? What house did you sneak into?"

"Oh, I didn't sneak." Theodore Nott smiled slyly, resting his chin on his hand, glancing at Harry "Seventh year Hufflepuff invited me into his dorm, and we fucked like rabbits in a garish yellow room."

Seeing everyone's stunned faces Nott smirked, winking at Hermione.

"Oh, I mean we had dinner, and then he took me for a lovely walk." Theo said quickly, causing everyone to laugh.

"Okay. My turn!" Pansy smirked, tapping her chin thoughtfully "how about... Never have I ever wished I had another family."

The laughter stopped when Draco and Harry stared at one another as the charm compelled them to drink.

"This game is stupid!" Draco snapped as he tried to throw his bottle, but it refused to leave his hand.

"Looks like the question touched a nerve." Harry muttered, raising his eyebrows at Malfoys reaction.

"I love my family, Potter, and they love me!" Draco shouted, as he paled "But you wouldn't know anything about that, would you?"

"Well, duh." Harry said obviously "My family sucks, and apparently so does yours."

"You don't know shit about belonging to a real family, Potter!" Draco sneered despite the flicker of hurt behind his pale grey eyes "You can only dream about having a family like mine!"

"So why did the charm force you to drink?" Harry asked, unaffected by the Slytherins words. "Look Malfoy, I get it. Okay? We can't choose our family, or the bullshit they do to us or put us through. I know that better than anyone."

"Fuck off scar head! The room is clearly cheating!" Draco barked, kicking the coffee table so hard it banged against the golden trios shins painfully.

"Ouch! Methinks the ferret doth protest too much!" Hermione glared at the blonde, who glared right back at her.

"No one asked for your opinion, you filthy little Mudblood- or haven't I told you this before?!"

"That's IT Malfoy!" Ron shouted raising his bottle to his lips.

"Ron stop!" Hermione begged, reaching over Harry to pull on his robes. "Its not your turn!"

"Let's see how you enjoy being attacked!" Ron snarled, pushing Hermione's hands away from him. "Never have _I_ ever taken the _Dark_ Mark!"

A heavy silence followed as all three Slytherins brought the bottle of whiskey to their lips and drank deeply.

As Pansy drank her eyes glazed over with unshed tears. She paled as if her body fought not to betray her

Theo's hand shook as he swallowed, looking haunted and torn.

Draco, however, drank deeply as if the question hasn't bothered him at all.

When he was finished, Draco sat back down and closed his grey eyes. He looked so tranquil until he opened his mouth to speak.

"Like you said before, Potter." Draco said in a harsh, tired voice with his eyes still closed "We can't choose our family, nor the things we're forced to do because of them. So why think about it at all?"

Harry's face crumpled, and for the first time he stared at Draco Malfoy in a new light.

 _The things we're forced to do because of them…_

"You're…a Death Eater?" Hermione asked in a tone barely above a whisper.

Draco opened his eyes and stared at Hermione with an unreadable expression.

"What do you think, Granger?" Draco asked as he pulled up his sleeve to reveal the Dark Mark burned painfully into his pale flesh.

.

 **A/N—I've been asked if this fic would be Death Eater centered. And the answer is yes… among a variety of other things that will contribute to the plot!**


	3. Chapter 3

**Secrets In The Room of Requirement**

 **By- RobinTheSlytherin**

 **.**

 **Chapter 3**

 **Working Together**

.

"You're…a Death Eater?" Hermione asked in a tone barely above a whisper.

Draco opened his eyes and stared at Hermione with an unreadable expression.

"What do _you_ think, Granger?" Draco asked as he pulled up his sleeve to reveal the Dark Mark burned painfully into his pale flesh.

"But you're only fifteen!" Hermione gasped, shaking her head in disbelief.

"So?" Draco sneered, lowering the sleeve of his black robes delicately.

He seemed suddenly absorbed in the folds of his sleeve and smoothed them out with the palm of his free hand. His piercing grey eyes didn't bother looking at Hermione to acknowledge her, which only infuriated her more on the Slytherins behalf.

"Draco—"

"I haven't given you permission to use my given name- so I suggest you don't take liberties _unworthy_ of your station, Mudblood." Draco snapped, trying to steer the conversation away from his mark.

"But How could your family do such a thing to you? You're their son!"

"DON'T!" Draco roared leaping to his feet like a shot, all control gone. "DON'T YOU DARE UTTER A WORD AGAINST MY FAMILY, YOU _FILTHY_ MUDBLOOD!"

He pointed a shaking finger in her direction, looking positively murderous. His pale blonde hair began falling out of place, fringing over his piercing grey eyes.

"Its wrong!" Hermione flinched back as if she'd been slapped, her lower lip quivering "You're their son, and they gave you up to Voldemort! No one deserves that!"

This time it was Draco's turn to flinch. A look of disgust flitters over his face at her words, and for a moment he considers her.

"Shut up Mudblood." Draco warned, his voice beginning to quiver slightly.

Harry held Ron back who looked on murderously. Harry on the other hand was staring at Theodore Nott with a concerned expression clouding his emerald green eyes. The Slytherin looked down helplessly at his covered forearm, as if it were an alien thing that didn't belong there,

"None of you deserve it." Hermione continued, unafraid. "Your parents were wrong to do so."

This time it was Ron who leapt to his feet.

"Fuck them Mione! Stop wasting your breath on these Death worshiping monsters!" Ron shouted, pointing at Draco who looked on unfazed. "and when we get out of here, I'm going to make sure these slimy snakes are thrown into Azkaban where they belong!"

And then Hermione did something none of them expected.

She stood and moved to stand in front of Ron very slowly.

And slapped him.

Ron's face jerked to the side, and remained there. His red locks covered his eyes, which was just as well, since Hermione didn't want to look into them

"When did you become so cruel, Ron?" Hermione whispered , as she turned away from her friend "They. Didn't. Deserve. It."

Both Pansy and Theo stare at Hermione, as if she had just voiced what they had always believed, but never accepted about their own families.

Tear tracks ran down Pansy's face, causing her black eyeliner to run with it. She looked at Hermione, clutching the hem of her skirt in her fists.

Theo, on the other hand, smiled solemnly. His expression glazed over, and then just as suddenly cleared all emotion from his stoic face.

This time it was Draco's turn to speak, ignoring Weasley as if he weren't there.

"Yes… they gave me to the Dark Lord." Draco laughed darkly at Hermione "but I wouldn't expect _you_ to understand their reasons, or the intricacies of _our_ world."

"Hermione belongs in our world just as much as any of us." Harry replied sharply, holding Ron back from assaulting the Slytherin. "it isn't her fault your Death Eater parents fed you nothing but hate and lies all these years!"

Draco and the other Slytherins consider Harry for a moment.

Then Draco , still standing, turns back to Hermione , elegantly lowering himself into his purple armchair.

" _You_ are _nothing_ but an aberration to this world, Granger." Draco sneered, clutching his bottle of whiskey for dear life "Your kind are inferior, and your very existence is a mistake."

Then, just as Hermione opened her mouth to reply, a terrible scream pierced her ears.

Beside Harry, Ron crumpled to the floor in pain. He continued to scream uncontrollably: twitching and jerking violently as if he were under the Cruciatus.

"RON!" Harry shouts falling to his knees beside his best friend. His frantic green eyes searched Hermione's helplessly.

Draco's venomous expression faltered. The color drained out of his face as he watched Ron Weasley writhing in hideous agony.

"He skipped his turn!" Hermione exclaimed, as Ron's screams caused him to arch his back off the ground. "The room said there would be consequences if any of us skipped a turn! Oh God, Ron!"

"Oh, for Merlin's sake!" Pansy shouted, shoving past Hermione "Move the fucking furniture away from him! Don't any of you Gryffindor's have any sense!? All that thrashing around is going to hurt him even more!"

To Hermione's surprise, Theo began dragging the armchairs and table away from Ron as soon as he saw Harry doing it.

Blood began to pour from Ron's nose as his voice strained, and his eyes rolled into the back of his head.

His screams strained himself hoarse.

"Mione, what do we do?!" Harry shouted angrily at Hermione.

Hermione shut her eyes as she tried to think. Her heart hammered wildly as she scourged her mind for a source- _any_ source that she remembered reading about.

"HERMIONE HE'S DYING!" Harry screamed panic stricken "DO SOMETHING!"

A second passed and then Hermione opened her eyes with a focused expression on her face.

"Everyone, gather around Ron!" Hermione shouted, falling to het knees beside Ron, who continued to scream silently.

"W-we may be able to counter it if we work together! I don't have enough power or training, and I only saw Madam Pompfrey do it once- so we're all going to have to focus! Place the palms of your hands over his torso!" Hermione instructed, tears of panic blinding her "Malfoy, Nott, Parkinson! You get on that side—"

"Why should we?" Draco spat "He retaliated against us and forced us to reveal one of our darkest secrets! He threatened us with AZKABAN! And you want us to help? No. Let the Bastard die."

"Please Malfoy!" Hermione cried out, unable to keep the tears from spilling over her eyes "He's my best friend! I'll do whatever you want- okay? I swear! J-just help him!"

In that moment the charms wore off the bottles, allowing them to unstick from their hands.

Everyone's broke except for Malfoys, who took one last swig of the drink before setting it aside.

Draco stood, stunned silent by the sight of Hermione Granger sobbing uncontrollably.

Draco watched her try and contain herself. He could see the cogs in her mind turning faster and faster. Even without her wand, her mind was sharper than any sword.

And yet that didn't stop her emotions from boiling over.

Draco Malfoy didn't like to see the Mudblood so vulnerable. As if she had no right to such an emotion or human display. He didn't want to think of Granger as human. It made Draco feel uneasy as if her tears were something private he shouldn't witness.

"Malfoy please!" Harry shouted at Weasley's convulsing side. "For Gods sake, help us!"

It was then Theodore Nott stepped forward with a sheer of sweat across his forehead.

"I'll do it." Theo muttered kneeling opposite of Harry, and placed his hands over Ron's chest. "C'mon Pans. We can taunt the idiot for fun when he wakes up."

Rolling her eyes Pansy knelt down and placed her hands on Ron's Torso a well.

"This better be worth it! Merlin, I'm so jealous of the people who don't know you lot!" She grumbled, flashing Draco a cold glare "Hurry up Draco! I hate being on my knees!"

"Fine! Let's save the bastard!" Draco snapped in irritation, then pointed a pale finger in Pansy's face "But just know- I could make _sooo_ many blow job jokes right now!"

"Shut up and get down here!"

And then all five of them were kneeling around Ron who seemed to be in the middle of a seizure.

"Repeat the words ' _emendare corporis'_ , with your hands placed on his chest. We haven't reached maturity in our magic, so I need everyones to center your magic!" Hermione said quickly in a panic "channel your magical energy into Rons."

"Use that massive thing you call a brain, Granger!" Draco looked up, heart racing in his chest. "Our magic is GONE!"

"We don't know that for sure! Our cores are still inside us, they must be! Focus on it, and allow your power to flow through you!" Hermione shouted back with the force of an unstoppable freight train "NOW FOCUS!"

All color left Dracos face at the force of Grangers passion.Remembering how she stood up to Weasley and slapped him, he grudgingly place his hands on the red heads seizing chest, furrowing his brow in concentration.

" _EMENDARE CORPORIS!"_

" _EMENDARE CORPORIS!"_

" _EMENDARE CORPORIS!"_

Their voices raised as they focused on stopping the onslaught of whatever punishment curse was affecting Ron.

" _EMENDARE CORPORIS!"_

Light began to glow through the veins on their hands, and out of their palms. Raw magical power poured from their hands into Ron's chest.

The light absorbed into Ron's cheat and slowly, very slowly the color began to return to his cheeks.

" _EMENDARE CORPORIS!"_

" _EMENDARE CORPORIS!"_

And like a shot of adrenaline through his heart, Ron shot uptight and heaved in a great strained gasp.

His bloodshot blue eyes sprang open, darting around the Room of Requirement.

Ron was hyperventilating and fell onto Harry, who began gently rocking and shushing him.

"Ron! Shh, it's okay, it's okay! You're okay Ron!" Harry cried, his voice breaking "I've got you- breath Ron!"

Pansy studied the terror that filled Ron Weasley's eyes, and for a moment felt something akin to sympathy.

Pansy knew what it was like to suffer the Cruciatus Curse. All Death Eaters went through it as a right of passage. It was intended to harden them, and remind them to whom they truly served.

Seeing the Weasley so broken was like looking into a mirror to a time not too long ago.

"He needs water and rest." The words tumbled out of Pansy's mouth before she could stop herself. "His throat probably tore from his screams. The water will help sooth it, unless the room can supply him with pain reliver potion."

Hermione looked up with a deep expression of gratitude towards the Slytherin, and nodded.

"Room! We require a pain reliver potion!" Harry shouted.

Nothing.

"Room! Please give is a pain reliver potion!" Harry called again in frustration.

Still nothing.

"He's going to be in pain when he wakes up! Why won't you help us!?" Harry began to shout now, his voice rising to a near scream "You did this to him- now help!"

"Harry," Hermione said pulling on the boys sleeve "I think the room wants Ron quiet for a bit…Maybe the Room wants Ron to learn to listen instead of shouting without thinking."

"But Malfoy said worse things to you, and he isn't being punished!" Harry demanded

"Maybe exposing his secret was the punishment…I don't know."

"Fine. Room! I require a glass of water!" Harry shouted venomously, nearly falling back in surprise when a glass pitcher and a cup filled with water appeared out of thin air beside him.

Slowly Hermione turned to meet Draco's cold grey eyes, holding the same expression of savage determination that her own held.

"It seems I owe you debt Malfoy." Hermione whispered, the hairs on the back of her neck standing on end.

Ron moaned, his breathing becoming easier as Harry helped him drink.

"No, Mudblood." Draco muttered darkly in reply, glancing down at Ron.

He turned on his heel towards his armchair, snatching up his unbroken bottle of Whiskey, and sat with stylish grace.

"You _both_ do."

.

 **A/N- more to come!**


	4. Chapter 4

**A/N— I made a thing! I now have a FB page where I'll be posting my fics and well as other items related to my stories!**

 **Join my searching Robintheslytherin on Facebook!**

 **See you there!**

 **I dedicate this chapter to our world's Science Wizard, Stephen Hawking.**

 **Secrets In The Room Of Requirement**

 **Chapter 4**

 **Muggle Technology**

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Four hours had passed trapped in the room, and still none of them had any idea how to escape.

Ron sat far away from the Slytherins in a corner to lick his wounds. He still looked deathly pale and defeated from the pain the room had inflicted on him.

More than anything he looked bitter. Every now and then Ron threw the Slytherins a filthy glare, which they ignored.

Draco was also sporting a deliberately scornful expression and made no move to join Pansy and Theo in conversation. Hermione frowned with concern as she studied the blond. He looked sick, and thin- almost as thin as Harry.

Both boys held a look in their eyes that was evidence of having lived a hard life.

While Harry looked like a worn tired veteran of war, Draco's eyes held a haunted look, and Hermione could see much of his innocence had gone since the previous year.

Blinking and looking towards him, Hermione found Draco's sharp grey eyes fixed on her. By their glazed appearance she understood he must still be slightly drunk from the whiskey. But that wasn't what bothered Hermione. He was looking at her in a odd sort of way, that made her heart hammer against her ribcage.

His expression wavered for a moment, and for a split-second Hermione thought she saw something behind his eyes. She didn't know exactly what it was, but it made her breath hitch.

Quickly, Hermione glanced down at , who had thrown himself onto the floor hours ago, and was still staring up at the ceiling with unblinking eyes.

Unsurprising, there popped another note from the room.

It appeared out of thin air in the center of the coffee table.

Theo rushed to grab the note, reading it silently with a frown.

"What does it say?" Harry asked bordly , from his sprawled position on the floor.

Theo looked glanced down at the green-eyed boy. His blue eyes traveling down Harry's waistline to where a sliver of skin peeked out from under his school shirt.

Seeing Draco's calculating cold grey eyes boring into him, Theo focused his attention back to the note.

"It reads— _'Our world is filled with wonders that may seem unimaginable to those without magic._

 _Indeed, the miracle of magic gives us a certain power over those who do not…_

 _Or so it would_ seem _._

 _Now witness a modern miracle of the Muggle world and explore its contents._

 _You may find it most…educational._

 _Have fun!_

 _ROR_

 _P.S. the remote is on the armchair, and at least five of you must choose a film.'"_

Theodore Nott finished the letter, looking up quizzically.

"What in Merlin's name is a _remote_?" he asked as Hermione reached the armchair beside Draco and snatched up the long black device.

And then there came another pop against the wall revealing an enormous flat monitor made of glass.

"It's a telly!" Harry smiled fondly, rolling over to prop himself up on his stomach "Aunt Petunia never let me watch it. _Dudders_ always had on a horror movie or something violent. Wonder what we're gonna watch?"

From his now slouched position in his armchair, Draco turned to Harry, narrowing his eyes.

"Whats a 'telly', and what the _fuck_ is a _Dudders_?" Draco sneered drunkenly, nursing his now empty bottle of whiskey "Looks like muggle shit."

Harry rolled his eyes from his position on the floor "My cousin _Dudley_ , he used to watch movies and shows on _that—"_

Harry pointed to the wall size monitor.

"—a television, or what some people call a _telly_. This one is nearly the size you'd find in a movie theater!"

"As per usual, you're making absolutely NO sense Potty." Draco muttered, standing clumsily to his feet "Speaking of which, I need to piss- ROOM! I demand a lavatory!"

Draco snapped as if ordering about a house elf.

And just like that a lavatory door sprang into existence.

It was a door labeled 'girls'.

"Are you fucking kidding me?" Draco shouted, storming towards the door to give it a swift kick.

The force of his kick caused him to stumble back, nearly losing his balance.

Draco's blond fringe fell over his eyes in frustration as he straitened himself "That's how you want to play, huh?!"

Draco kicked it again and again, in his feeble attempts at punishing the room.

Harry covered his ears from his position on the floor, rolling his eyes. Harry glanced towards Ron, and mouthed ' _Dudders_ ', earning a wicked smirk from the red head.

"STOP-FUCKING-WITH-ME!" Draco continued to shout as he kicked the door, his last kick the door swung open on its own accord, causing the blonde to fall into the girl's bathroom. With a last shout the door slammed itself shut behind him.

"Idiot." Pansy muttered under her breath, falling back into her armchair with a fed-up sort of sigh. Her black eye liner had begun to smear, making her look quite witchy indeed.

Meanwhile, Hermione was studying the remote with fascination.

"The buttons aren't labeled." Hermione observed "Nor do they have any color code. They're just plain black buttons."

"Weird." Harry commented. "but at least we won't be so bored now. I wouldn't mind watching a bit of telly."

By this time Ron had stood from his position in the corner and limped towards his armchair, throwing himself into it.

Ron raised his hands in confusion as if to say ' _no one is making any sense'._

"You'll see mate! Its actually _really_ cool!" Harry said, lifting himself off of the floor and sitting next to him.

"What is the POINT of all this?!" Pansy screeched, kicking off her polished Mary Jane heels and throwing them across the room "I'm _sick_ of these games! I'm sick of all of you!"

"Didn't those shoes cost you 400 Galleons?" Theo asked offhandedly, taking his place in between Draco's chair and Pansy's.

At this Ron Weasley leap to his feet angrily, and limp-marched across the room, snatching up her heels.

Pansy blinked in surprise as the red head back across the room, and roughly placed the shoes in her hands.

As she opened her mouth to make a scathing comment but froze as Ron pressed his finger against her lips.

Ron held a frustrated look in his eye as if to chastise her, but instead shook his head as he drew back towards his chair.

Again, Pansy opened her mouth in outrage, but was again cut off by Draco exiting the bathroom.

"Let's get on with the Dudders- I mean the _telly_ thing!" Draco snapped, still slightly drunk. "To appease the fucking room."

Harry snorted, covering his mouth with his hand.

A drunk Malfoy was an amusing Malfoy.

"I guess we just push any button?" Hermione commented, leaning against the arm of her chair "It doesn't have a power button or any button indicating how to turn it on. I'm not sure if this can be considered muggle technology since magic is obviously involved. So, I just assume—"

"Get on with it, Granger!" Pansy screeched, slapping the cushion, beneath her, in frustration.

The others nodded in agreement, and Ron and Harry looked at the Slytherin's as if to say ' _do you see what we have to put up with?'._

"Okay! I'll just push the first button." Hermione said, pushing the first button on the top left-hand side.

None of them were ready for the loud jovial tune that erupted from the television.

Everyone jumped, except for Pansy who let out a small scream.

It was a silly big bang tune with upbeat trumpets, a jazzy piano, and whimsical flutes.

It was the tune of 'Merrily We Roll Along', Something Hermione instantly recognized.

"MERRY MELLODIES! A Warner Bros Cartoon proudly presents!—"

An animation of two familiar animals popped onto the screen. One sinister looking and the other innocent and carefree.

"Roadrunner and Wile E. Coyote!"

"Excellent!" Harry smiled excitedly, causing Theo to smirk in his direction.

"Who knew you were so adorable, Potter?" Theo chuckled, winking at the green-eyed boy.

Harry blushed, causing Draco to gag.

"Shh!" Hermione snapped, pointing towards the screen "watch."

 _ **As the cartoon began, Coyote began painting the road with yellow Acme Glue.**_

 _ **Then Coyotes ears perked up. A distinctive "MEEP! MEEP!" honks in the distance.**_

 _ **Looking down the Coyote realizes that he's painted himself in the center of the glue and attempted to jump out.**_

 _ **Unfortunately, he lands in the glue and is promptly run over by a truck, honking "MEEP!MEEP!".**_

Hermione looks up to find everyone watching the film keenly.

 _ **Again, the Coyote tries to fool the Roadrunner, and paints another road with glue to catch the Roadrunner.**_

 _ **The Coyotes waits behind a rock and lights a stick of TNT dynamite as soon as he hears a "MEEP-MEEP!"**_

 _ **But this time the Roadrunner is so fast that he cuts through the glue, spaying it all over the Coyote.**_

 _ **As the Coyote tries to free himself from the glue he throws himself off a cliff, towards cool sparkling water.**_

 _ **But before he hits the surface, the Coyote explodes.**_

Ron, Draco, Theo, and Pansy watched the screen with a mixture of emotions.

Ron smiled at the tune playing in the background, tapping his toes to the beat.

Pansy leaned forward, trying and failing to contain her anticipation for what would happen next.

Theo, as always, kept a cool expression was he watched the cartoon in amusement.

Draco, on the other hand watched the cartoon with a keen sense of concern.

For a single moment all of them forgot where they were and who they were with.

In a single moment they looked as carefree as children.

Twenty minuets later the show ended, and once again the screen went blank.

There was silence until Theo turned to look at Harry, curiously.

"Do _all_ Muggles watch this on their _tellys_?" he asked genuinely.

Harry laughed, shaking his head.

"It's a cartoon. Kids watch it for fun." Harry continued with a broad smile "This is just one of many."

"It _is_ rather childish." Pansy commented with a small cough "but I suspect that's why you seem to enjoy them, Potter."

Harry rolled his eyes, turning back to face Theo.

"So, you want to press the next button? I figure we could take turns- you know, Gryffindor, then Slytherin and so forth."

Theo's baby blue eyes were very wide and surprised as Harry took the remote from Hermione and handed it to him.

"Go on then." Harry encouraged the blue eyes- sandy haired Slytherin, who gave a curt nod.

"The device seems like moving portrait theater. Not sure how impressed we're supposed to find this, but—" As soon as Theo pressed the second button two people appeared on the screen.

The first individual was a quizzical looking man with glasses. The second was a wheelchair bound man, with a slouched form, twisted neck, frail limbs, and yet despite his form his blue eyes held a superior intelligence.

"Its Stephen Hawking!" Hermione clapped, bouncing on the edge of her seat.

"Why does he look like _that?"_ Draco's eyes widened unable to look away. "What the fuck is wrong with him?"

"He has a disease called Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis." Hermione waved offhandedly, trying to listen to the interview "the nerves that controlled his muscles began down when he was about our age."

Draco was now looking at Hermione with impatience "Yes, but why doesn't he go to a Healer? He would be healed in no time! He's obviously an idiot."

Hermione froze, obviously angry, but kept her eyes on the screen.

"Because _Malfoy,"_ Hermione emphasized his last name through her teeth "muggle doctors haven't found a way to heal ASL. Many diseases cannot be cured by muggle science. Magic is a _miracle_ that wizards take for granted…and yet muggles survive. In that way they're stronger than us."

Draco scoffed as he turned to face the television.

" **You say we should approach Artificial Intelligence with caution, Doctor Hawking." The interviewer stated curiously "But shouldn't we venture on to discover new sciences in AI to contribute to mankind?"**

 **Hawking stared down at a screen, his blue eyes flickering over it quickly.**

"What's he doing?" Draco asked

"His facial muscles are recorded through that device. It pinpoints phrases and letters on the screen and forms them into sentences" Hermione said quickly, waving her hand towards Draco to shut him up.

" **Artificial Intelligence could be a real danger in the not too distant future." Hawking's computerize voice spoke without moving his lips "It could design improvements to itself** _ **and outsmart**_ **us all."**

" **But then I could just unplug the robot, or whatever A.I unit develops such a thought." The interviewer laughed**

"Whats A.I? He said Artificial Intelligence, but what the hell is it?" Draco huffed, looking just as confused as Ron, Theo, and Pansy.

This time Harry spoke, seeing Hermione's frustration.

"It's like …um…computer systems-which is a form of A.I- that perform tasks that normally require _human_ intelligence, like his chair. Sometimes its physical, mental, decision making, or some kinda perception. And often times they do the task more proficiently than humans. They don't make as many mistakes, and some robots even preform open heart surgery- that's cutting into a person's chest and fixing their heart."

"What the Fu—"

"Shh!" Hermione hushed them, elbowing Harry's shoulder.

 **In response Hawking looked down at his screen, with a faint trace of amusement on his parted lips.**

" **There's a story that Scientists built an intelligent computer." He began in a computerized monotone "the first question they asked it was 'Is there a God?', The computer replied 'There is now'. And a bolt of lightning struck the plug, so it couldn't be turned off."**

Silence followed his words, and then just as suddenly the television flickered off.

"So, wait." Pansy muttered looking slightly frightened "Muggles _created_ Artificial Intelligence? How could they do that without magic!?"

"There's more to it than just robots and wheel chairs. "Hermione laughed, shaking her head "Ever hear of space rockets?"

Everyone but Harry shook their heads.

"It's a capsule muggle's created to launch themselves off the Earth and into space." Hermione explained mimicking a rocket launching upward with her hand. "And they even managed to land on the moon and walk on it."

"Impossible!" Pansy snorted, snatching the remote out of Theo's hand and pressing a button "If muggles can't cure basic diseases, how can they fly to the moon?"

Then the television flickered on again showing a grainy image of a man in a space suit, stepping onto what was obviously the moon.

" **That's one small step for man… one giant leap for mankind." A static voice came from the screen.**

 **It followed with two men arranging an American flag on the moon and speaking about center of mass and gravity.**

Again, the screen shut itself off, and Hermione smiled at Draco leaning over on his elbows, gripping his head in his hand.

"Its not possible." Draco shook himself, sitting up straighter "Muggles don't have the power that we possess. Whatever this is, is a lie." He finished pointing to the image.

"Have you ever heard of smart bombs, Malfoy?" Harry asked seriously "They're missiles that are guided with computers. They land on cities and explode causing total death. Muggles even have a bomb that can destroy with nuclear fusion."

At this Draco leapt from his chair and threw the bottle at Harry, who ducked just in time thanks to his seeker skills.

"Shut the fuck up Potter!" Draco demanded, his fist shaking with fury, and another emotion Hermione couldn't place…fear perhaps?

Suddenly, the television flickered on.

"No! I WON'T watch anymore!" Draco roared, snatching the remote out of Theos hand, and began pressing buttons at random "Enough!"

But the screen didn't change.

 **A black and white image of a plane was shown flying over a wide space of land.**

 **Someone talking into a radio.**

 **And then a metal pod being dropped from the sky.**

 **The pod fell, down, down , down…**

 **The sound that followed caused the entire room to shake violently.**

 **An explosion hit the land, which caused a mushroom cloud to climb towards the sky.**

 **The light was bright…too bright.**

 **The cloud rose higher, and higher.**

 **And then images of the ruins.**

 **But there were no people in Hiroshima. Not a single soul that wandered through the rubble. Not a single body laying under the ruins.**

 **The land was barren and scorched.**

"What is this?" Pansy breathed in fear, leaning father back into her seat.

The screen flickered again.

Another film was playing in the same black and white texture.

This time the camera spanned across ruined buildings and rubble.

" **The bomb weighed 19,000 pounds. And were as powerful as 12 ½ thousand tons of TNT dynamite."**

At this Ron's eyes widen, he locked eyes with Pansy who whispered "Coyote.", no doubt remembering the cartoon they had seen earlier when the Coyote had blown himself up with one small stick of dynamite.

" **The bomb exploded within 100 feet of the target. The fireball was 18,000 feet across. The temperature at the center of the fireball was as hot as the surface of the sun…near the center people became nothing."**

 **Images of the ruined city flashed across the screen. Scorch marks in the shape of people covered the ground like shadows.**

" **Near the center there was no sound….The light from the bomb flashed whiter than any white. Eyes turned up to the bomb melted. Within 9 seconds 100-150,000 were killed or doomed. And 100,000 more injured. Within 9 seconds the city caught fire. Asphalt and steel burned like paper. Then the day grew black with smoke and dust."**

"stop it" Draco breathed dangerously, his voice shaking with rage.

Hermione stepped forward, placing a gentle hand on his shoulder "Draco—"

"Make it stop!" Draco demanded, his pride superior expression fading.

" **Over the city rose a cloud of smoke of 40,000 feet high. Two hours later drops of black rain the size of marbles began to fall."**

 **And then as the voice faded out an image of screaming people filled the screen. Their skin falling off of their bones as they hobbled on and begged for water.**

Draco stepped back against Hermione, unaware of his actions as he grabbed her hand, unable to stop himself.

Seeing how serious this was affecting the Slytherins, and Ron who fell to his knees and began retching, Hermione steadied herself. She squeezed Draco Malfoys hand and turned him away from the television, roughly.

"ROOM! Please stop the film!" Hermione shouted "They've seen enough!"

And just like that the film stopped.

It was a long time before anyone moved.

Pansy had her arms around herself, shaking her head.

Theo stared at Harry, his blue eyes begging him to say it was all some sick joke.

Ron was still retching up, and Harry knelt beside him rubbing his back gently.

Draco still had ahold of Hermione's hand as he spoke.

"I…I don't know of any magic capable of…of _that._ " He said looking wide eyed and pale.

"The bombing of Hiroshima happened when our grandfathers were young." Hermione said softly. "They've come a lot farther since then."

Draco Malfoy stood like a man who had seen his own death. He didn't even realize he was still holding Hermione's hand as she walked him back towards his seat.

"Room, please clean Ron's mess." Hermione whispered under her breath, as she guided Draco.

She backed away and asked the room for a pitcher of water and glasses. She knelt and poured a glass for everyone, and then one for herself.

After another twenty minuets of silently drinking, Hermione Reached for the remote that Draco had dropped and handed it back to him.

"I don't want that thing." He spat, turning away "I don't want to know anymore."

"We need one more film, and we'll be done." She said reassuringly.

"Why must we do this!?" Draco snapped, slamming his glass down.

Hermione sighed, then repeated the words the room had spoked.

" _When truths are told, and hatred is bygone- when the ignorant are enlightened, and beliefs are broken. When fears are faced, when love has blossomed. When friendship is forged, and grief is forgotten."_ Hermione recited "The room wants us to let go of our hate for one another. Its wants us to gain knowledge, and go against our beliefs, to face our fears, and form a friendship."

"Not bloody likely." Ron finally spoke in a raspy strained whisper, clutching his throat at the words that caused him pain.

"Agreed." Draco muttered, not looking at the red head.

"Dra-Malfoy, just pick a button, and get this over with." Hermione said, suppressing her irritation.

After a moment Draco took the remote and shakenly pressed the fifth button.

The glass screen didn't appear to be on, but then an image of a single hand lighting a match filled the screen.

 **The hand lit a single candle.**

 **A prayer in Kiddush is sung with Shabbat candles burning in the background. The depiction is in full color, until the candles begin to die down. As the last light dies out it is clear that it is a representation of as a somber memorial to something vanished.**

 **The film loses its bright light and color as the candle dies. The images become black and white, and saturated with darkness.**

Hermione starred at the screen, paling.

"Well shit." Hermione breathed, turning to glance at Draco with a heavy expression behind her hazel eyes.

 **Shindlers List.**

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A/N—next chapter 'Questions'


	5. Chapter 5

A/N—so…I've been gone for months long time. I was busy illustrating a book, and now I have freer time. This chapter was going to be 'Questions' but I'm changing it. Also. Angst ahead. I wrote this while high on caffeine and an empty stomach. Enjoy.

*updates sporadically*

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Secrets In The Room Of Requirement

RobinTheSlytherin

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Chapter 5

Another Debt

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After the movie the light inside of the Room of Requirement dimmed. The purple armchairs were replaced by purple hammocks appeared out of thin air hanging on purple posts.

No one wanted to talk about the movie, Shindler's List, especially the Slytherin's.

"Well shouldn't we have a discussion about it?" Hermione asked reluctantly, her studious nature showing.

"I dunno." Harry answered, shaking his head. "All I saw was what our world might look like if Voldemort wins."

The Slytherin's and Ron flinched at the name.

"When." Draco said "Not 'if'."

"You really believe, that don't you?" Ron snorted shaking his head. "Sometimes I look at you, Malfoy, and I wonder who ties your shoe laces."

"Weasley, if your family was paid in ugly, you'd be as rich as me. Now fuck off."

"There's a special place in Hell reserved just for you, you know that right?" Ron smirked, without his usual anger.

"Yeah Weasley, its called the Throne." Draco smirked back, dusting a fleck of dust from his expensive robes.

"C'mon Ron, let's get you to bed, mate." Harry whispered into Ron's ear, pulling him towards a hammock.

Ron nodded tiredly, not wanting to talk any more than he had to. Hermione could still see the affects of his earlier punishment.

After using the bathroom, and splashing some water over her face, Hermione stared at her own reflection in the mirror.

"So, we meet again." Hermione whispered, staring back at herself through the mirror.

She gathered her long soft girl and swept them to the side of her neck to braid. The braid fell just short of her waist and she wondered what the boys would think if she suddenly chopped it off. Probably nothing good.

Her small smile fell when she thought about the Slytherins.

How the hell were they supposed to get along, much less befriend one another?

They needed a miracle.

When she exited the bathroom, Pansy shoved in past her and slammed the door behind.

As per her usual bedtime habit, Hermione walked towards the boys and pulled them close in a warm embrace. She hugged Harry first as he kissed her right cheek, and then Ron who took her left.

All the while Draco, and Theodore watched the exchange out of the corners of their eyes. More than anything they seemed intrigued by the exchange.

"Are you all involved or something?" Theo asked, frowning at Harry.

"Huh?" Harry looked up confused "What involved?"

"Never you mind, mate" Ron came to stand next to Harry patting his head fondly, then turned to Nott "and no, we're not. We're just friends."

"I've never seen friends act like that." Theo shrugged, looking mildly annoyed.

"I always hug Mione, and Ron before bed." Harry offered, still confused.

"And kiss?" Draco asked appalled.

"Yeah? So?" Harry rolled his eyes "I love them. They're my best mates."

Theo didn't pry anymore, and neither did Draco, immediately dropping the subject as Pansy exited the bathroom.

As the rest of the Slytherin's and Ron slipped into their respective hammocks, Harry and Hermione knelt beside one another. The Slytherins watched the small act with morbid curiosity.

Harry and Hermione bowed their heads and clasped their hands quietly praying in low hushed tones. After a minuet Harry and Hermione made the sign of the cross from navel to forehead, then left shoulder to right.

"Amen." Hermione whispered.

"Amen." Harry breathed after and rose with Hermione to slip into bed.

It was quiet. Then after five minutes of complete silence, it was broken.

"What sort of magic ritual was that?" Theodore asked Harry, from his hammock directly across from his.

"It was a prayer." Harry said softly, snuggling into his purple pillow. "Not magic…er…well I suppose in a way it is."

"Prayer?" Theodore continued to pry, watching Harry with a gentle expression.

Hermione felt Draco's eyes lock onto her from across her hammock. She met his eye and cocked an eyebrow to his unnerving stare. It was as if Draco were seeing her for the first time, and it was completely hostile…well, maybe it wasn't completely, but at least it wasn't a stoic one.

"What is it that you pray?" Theodore asked, letting one of his legs hang out of the hammock and swing back and forth. "And why is it a different kind of magic?"

"Because you don't see it. Because you don't know if it's there, and yet I have faith that it exists," Harry smiled tiredly. "Just a feeling that give me hope."

"Fascinating." Theo smirked, genuinely interested "But for what purpose?"

"For my soul of course." Harry yawned with a shrug "Or do wizards not have religion? Hermione?"

"They don't Harry. Not an organized one anyway. It's all seasonal ceremonies. Hermione whispered, glancing at Harry "The wizarding world has paganistic traditions , rites, and ceremonies…but there is no deity behind it."

"Deity's are for muggles." Draco hissed contemptuously "We don't believe in an invisible being that controls the universe, the land, our magic, or our souls. Its nonsense, and from what I know, is the cause of many problems in the muggle world. Only ignorant muggles believe in invisible men in the clouds."

"I think it's charming." Theo smirked, winking at Harry who blushed and turned away from the Slytherin.

Ron's breathing evened out. He was fast asleep.

Draco was still staring at Hermione. She felt a twitch developing at the corner of her eye.

"What?" She asked turning her body to face him completely. "Going to continue mocking us?"

"No."

"No?"

Draco cocked a perfectly manicured eyebrow, his upper lip curling.

"There's no need to mock something so pathetically, inconsequentially muggle." Draco whispered almost lovingly "and if I could, I'd snap your wand right now, and throw you and your kind out of our world."

"Because I believe in God?"

"Because you stand on your pulpit and demand us to embrace you as a witch, and then you turn around and embrace a muggle culture and infect us with it. The Potter line is as ancient and noble as my own House, despite having an inferior as a mother—"

"Watch it Ferret face" Harry snapped halfheartedly, but Draco continued. "Also…I'm in an ancient house?

"—and just like that a lineage, as ancient as my own, falls to its knees in submission to them. Wizards and Witches bow to nothing but magic. And I find it unbearable that such an ancient house kneels before a muggle fairy tale. It sickens me to my core. I hate it with all of my magic."

"But why? Why do you hate it so much?"

Draco bowed his head, looking too weary to continue fighting "because if the Ancient and Noble House of Potter can become corrupted…so can we."

"Seriously, guys. I'm from an ancient house?" Harry asked, sitting up.

Draco rolled his eyes "See what I mean?"

Hermione was too shocked to speak, and no one did.

"I didn't know I belonged to an Ancient house." Harry said, glancing up at Theodore Nott "I knew nothing of magic until I came to Hogwarts. And I admit, this world is my home. I don't consider the Muggle world one I necessarily care for...mostly because of my relatives… In way you remind me of them Draco."

This time Draco's head snapped so furiously in Harry's direction do fast Hermione could hear it crack.

"Your invisible God wasted a good asshole when he put teeth in your mouth." Draco scorned, throwing Harry a hate filled glare.

"What I mean is their views on anything that they didn't consider 'normal'. To them magic was as abnormal as your beliefs that muggles are to the wizarding society. And they tried to squash the magic out of me. They tried to smother the light in me- to kill it completely. And they almost succeeded." Harry continued ignoring Draco's attention, unsure of why he was being so open. Perhaps it was the wat Theodore Nott looked at him. Perhaps he was just too stressed to do anything else but vent.

"They were so afraid of me. I can always remember the fear in their eyes when they looked at me. They told me my mother and father were unemployed drunks. They called me 'freak', and still do. And to them magic is freakish. And to you, having no magic is freakish. You want to snap Hermione's wand, Draco? I know you do, because I see the same fear in your eyes. My cousin tried to break me. He called it 'Harry Hunting'."

The look of shock passed over Pansy and Theo as they listened to Harry. Draco on the other hand looked furious. Harry knew he was talking too much, and to people who hated him, and would probably report everything he said back to Voldemort as soon as they could.

This time Pansy spoke, sounding very unlike herself "The muggles used to hunt us. Witches and Wizards were captures and burned at the stake. Sometimes we could escape, sometimes we burned."

"But don't you see how that same fear feeds both worlds?" Harry continued

"So what?" Draco snapped, turning to sneer at Hermione. "Tonight, I watched the power muggles are gaining. That fucking Tely-sision showed me enough. I hate them more than ever."

"Oh my God, what is wrong with you?" Hermione snapped, itching to throw her pillow at the blonde.

"Everything" Draco snapped right back with a cruel smile "except for the way I dress."

Hermione huffed then turned her back to the blonde Slytherin. The wall across was decorated with intricate carved designs. Hermione studied the vine and leaf carvings when she heard Harry shifting in his hammock.

She raised her head and looked back to find him staring at the same wall she had been. His brow was furrowed, and he was chewing his lower lip.

"Harry—"

"I don't need it, Mione." Harry interrupted "I'll be okay tonight."

"Room we require a dreamless sleep potion—"

"I said I don't need it." Harry snapped at Hermione, but it didn't matter. The room didn't give them anything for the request.

"Are you sure you'll be okay?" Hermione asked earnestly.

"Yes" Harry said shortly, shutting his eyes "Night Mione."

"Night Harry." Hermione said quietly, then stared off at the carved wall for another hour before feeling her eyelids begin to droop.

Everyone must have been sleeping for only a few hours when a piercing scream filled the room. Hermione shot up. Ron was already leaping out of his hammock towards Harry's convulsing form.

Hermione fell out of her hammock and felt the ground shaking.

All three Slytherins shot up, their wands pointed towards the source of the scream. Only then did they remember how useless it was.

"Harry!" Ron shouted shaking Harry's screaming form "Mate wake up! Wake up!"

Hermione reached Harry and began slapping him across the face as hard as she could. Ron grabbed the pitcher of water and threw it over Harry, who refused to wake.

"What the fuck is going on!?" Draco shouted, fear lining his voice.

Theo looked on horrified as blood began seeping out of Harry's scar.

Harry's scream was unnatural and animalistic, his limbs convulsing violently against Hermione and Ron. The room continued to shake as if an earthquake was occurring. Pansy's eyes looked towards the ceiling as if fearful it might cave in and kill them all.

"Room!" Theodore shouted, "Force Potter to wake up!"

And then just like that, Harry stopped screaming. His eyes snapped open, but something was wrong.

Something was terribly wrong.

"is emerald eyes had bled into a demonic red. His pupils slitted, and in an instant, He raised his wand and pointed it at Ron.

"AVADA KEDAVA!" He hissed evilly.

Hermione screamed, she she yanked Ron away from Harry despite the lack of magic and light coming from Harry's wand. Thank Merlin the room locked their magic away.

"Fight him Harry!" Hermione screamed, as Ron took a defensive position in front of Hermione. The Slytherins stared at Harry, visibly appalled and frightened at his abrupt change. In that moment, everyone in the room knew Harry Potter wasn't the one standing before them, but the Dark Lord Voldemort.

"Oh Harrry" Voldemort hissed seductively, running his hand through Harry's dark hair "I don't need a wand to hurt them."

Harry's body stepped forwards glancing at Hermione with a ferocious expression. His red eyes trailing over her body slowly.

"I could force you to rape her. I could force you to watch her scream as I fuck her till she bleeds. Would you like to see her expression as I strangle the life out of her? Would you like to see that pretty face turn purple? I know I would." Voldemort the back his head and laughed cruelly "I could make you you're your red headed friend using only your teeth. I could make tear off your red heads jaw, so that his tonge has nowhere to rest and dangles out of his skull. His screams would play over and over like a serenade. And when you wake You would see the quivering blood and flesh you made of them."

Harry's face was an expression of innocence, except for his eyes that Voldemort twisted insanely.

Even Draco and the others looked horrified at such a thing being said. What a comparison it made to Harry's earlier declaration of innocent love for his friends.

"And what if I broke your arms?" Ron snapped, stepping closer "I'm sure Harry wouldn't mind, in fact I'm positive he'd insist I do it. You have no power here you snake faced bastard!"

The Slytherins gasped as Ron Weasley spat in the Dark Lords face.

"Harry, fight him!" Hermione shouted, tears filling her eyes "We love you Harry! We're right here with you!"

"I have three of my followers in this room. Along with me, that makes four against two." Voldemort chuckled, stepping towards Draco with an approving look "I may not have my magic in this form, but I have my faithful Death Eater children. And I think I'll take advantage of it."

Harry's body turned to face Pansy, Theo, and Draco who instantly bowed reverently. Ron lunged towards the glass bottles of Fire Whiskey and scooped them all up. He handed three to Hermione, who tucked the spare into her jean pocket, following Ron's action.

Hermione and Ron broke the bottle's so that they held the bottle by the neck, fashioning it into a jagged weapon. Ron stood beside Hermione, holding both bottle in front of his face like a boxer. Hermione held them at her sides, ready to strike out.

Voldemort laughed, motioning towards the glass pitcher of water and cups.

"Take them ,my children." Voldemort barked with irresistibly manic laugher "and bring me their eyes. I think I'd like to make a necklace with them!"

Hesitantly, Draco looked from Harry's form to the glass pitcher, then took a step forward behind to pick it up.

Theo did the same with one of the glasses, and Pansy followed, with tears in her eyes. Hermione saw how they shivered, and the dead look behind Draco's eyes of conviction in what he was about to do.

Draco was the first to step forward.

"You owe me big Potter." Draco muttered darkly as he raised the pitcher…

and slammed it against the back of Harry's head, shattering it into a thousand pieces.

Hermione, Ron, Pansy, and Theodore stood paralyzed as they watched Draco Malfoy attack Voldemort.

Harry's body jerked forward, falling unconscious before he hit the floor.

"That, my Lord, was for hurting my mother." Draco said panted as adrenaline coursed through his veins, looking down on Harry's bleeding body stoically "and for hurting my friends."

"Draco what have you done?!" cried Pansy, dropping her glass "He'll kill us! He'll kill our families!"

"She's right Draco," Theodore whispered, "He'll take it out on them."

"He won't kill them. Not yet anyway." Draco breathed, as the adrenaline coursed through his veins, throwing the pitcher handle away from him. "They're too influential- too publicly important to the government. He won't kill them until he's taken over the government."

"And then what?" Theo snapped, grabbing a fist full of his own hair "Then we wait for him to kill us?!"

"Would you have us kill the mudblood and weasel?" Draco demanded, his cold stoic demeanor cracking into one of panic at the realization of his actions. Then mid-sentence he switched languages, and began to rant in French. "que voudriez-vous que je fasse? Qu'est-ce que j'aurias du faire? Hein?! Je ne souhaite pas être un meurtre!"

Draco paced throwing up his hands in frustration, his voice shaking.

"I know, Draco." Pansy whispered, crying into her hands "I don't want to be a murder either…I don't…but—"

"Shit." Draco gasped, angry tears flowing down his face "Je ne…I don't want to fucking do this anymore! Fuck, what did I do!?"

Hermione came to stand beside Draco, who turned his back to them, his shoulders shaking in silent sobs.

"Are you okay?" Hermione asked quietly, as Draco paced.

"I'm fine." He said shortly, not entirely realizing who was speaking to him.

"you don't look fine." Hermione whispered holding out a hand to stop his pacing.

"then stop looking , Mudblood, before I reconsider tearing out your eyes." Draco hissed venomously.

Ron was tending to Harry, cleaning up the blood on the back of his friend's head.

"Room, I require a healer's kit." He said then took the case that popped up next to him.

"Here let me help." Pansy said beside Ron "I do this all the time with my parent's when they come back from the Dark Lords 'meetings'."

Ron looked at Pansy , his blue eyes studying her closely, as if trying to figure out her intensions. Nodding to the dark haired Slytherin, Ron gave over the pouch and assisted Pansy as she worked.

Hermione stood beside Draco as he straightened to glare at her, as if it were her fault that he was crying. Draco couldn't help it, he shoved her away as she reached out to put wrap an arm around his shoulder.

"Don't!" He screamed, but Hermione wasn't listening. She took another step forward and wrapped her arms around Draco's middle. Ron didn't bother reprimanding Hermione for hugging a Slytherin, all too concerned with Harry's condition.

"I told you to stop!" Draco shouted prying her fingers apart "I'm not one of your sensitive little Gryffindor friends! Get your filthy Mudblood hands off me!"

"It's okay Draco. It's okay now." Hermione whispered gently "We'll help get your parents away from him. We'll get you protection."

"I don't want your help!" Draco hissed, giving up his attempt to claw her hands off him. "You hate us as much as I hate you."

"I don't hate you." Hermione said quietly "I've never hated you. I haven't liked your bullying, or the way you try to intimidate me with your blood superiority….but I don't hate you. "

"And I don't believe you." Draco snapped back "fuck off."

After a moment realizing Draco wasn't going to soften, Hermione sighed and stepped back.

"Theo and Pansy are right." Draco sighed to himself, rubbing his face on his hands. The action seemed human, and all together different from the stiff, snobbish persona he usually emulated. "Our parents are at the Dark Lords mercy at this very moment. Surly he'll know it was me who cut the connection."

"You're not responsible." Ron said suddenly, still cradling Harry's head.

Draco's eyes narrowed, sneering at the sight of Ron holding Harry so tenderly. He looked away and didn't respond. Instead he walked towards his hammock and sat on the edge of it, rocking slightly.

"His pulse is steady again." Pansy whispered, as Theo poured another Derma Potion into Harry's mouth, and massages his throat muscles with his hands.

"What do you want?" Draco said to no one in particular, staring up into the ceiling "Just let us out already. Nothing will come from this…nothing."

Ron motioned to Theo to take Harry, Hermione sat down at Harry's side as Ron stood. There was blood on Ron's pants from there Harry's head sat, but he didn't seem to notice. He had been in situations like this before…and It was always Harry's blood that covered them.

When he reached Malfoy, Ron knelt before the blonde looking up into his pale pointed face.

"You saved my best friend." Ron said, a-matter-a-factly "you saved all of us from a needless fucking bloodshed. I can't say that I like you…but I was wrong about you, and I respect you, Malfoy."

"And what? Am I supposed to feel grateful?" Draco made a disgusted sound, glaring down at Ron "Not that I don't enjoy the sound of you being wrong. But frankly I don't give a shit right now."

"Yeah, I know." Ron nodded, for the first time without his usual defensive persona "but you can't keep dancing with the devil and wonder why you're still in hell. Voldemort—

"Don't say his name." snapped Draco

"He knows you and your family will always submit to him. I know he makes you kiss the hem of his filthy robe and bow before him. And if I'm going to be frank, I didn't know Malfoy's to submit to anything." Ron clipped, still looking up at Malfoy "I may not particularly like you, but that doesn't mean we can't be allies. We can be civil to one another. And we can help your family."

"No one can help us, Weasley." Draco spoke quietly, looking down into the freckled face of Ron "you and your friends will lose. You don't understand his power, what he's capable of. And what I did, it wasn't because I cared if you live or die."

"Sure Malfoy."

"I didn't want be a murder, you imbecille." Draco continued. "And now all three of you owe me a debt."

"Yeah I know." Ron sighed, rising to stand.

"Good. Because after all this is over, and we get out of here…I'm going to need a favor or two."

Ron nodded, and turned to stare at Harry who was still unconscious, and terribly pale.

"Does this happen often?" Draco asked suddenly, changing the subject.

"Yes." Ron nodded, staring down at his best friend sadly "He usually doesn't come through all the way. Harry fights him off. This time I guess he was just too strong."

"What do you mean 'he usually doesn't come through all the way'?" Draco asked, without as much venom in his voice. It was almost concern.

Ron shrugged.

"Sometimes, when You-know-Who tries to possess Harry…His eyes will turn red, but he still has control of his own body. Sometimes Harry will be sleeping, and suddenly Voldimo—I mean You-Know-Who's voice will start talking out loud. Sometimes I wake up and Harry is sitting at the edge of my bed, staring at me with those fucking awful red eyes. Depends on the day I guess. But Harry fights him and wins every time…except for tonight." Ron finished staring at Harry "I hide his wand every night, just in case. I was just so tired tonight. I completely forgot."

"I should've remembered." Hermione chimed in.

"Whatever the case." Theo said suddenly "We'll start watching him in turns. I don't fancy having The Dark Lord strangle me in my sleep. I'll go first, Granger can go second, Pansy can go third, Weasley can go next and if its still dark out Draco can wake up last."

"I've said it once, I'll say it again. I envy people who don't know you lot." Pansy huffed, crossing her arms in irritation. "I'm going to the washroom to wash my face. All this stress is going to make my skin look as blemished as Gangers."

Meanwhile, Theo knelt next to Harry and slipped his arms under the petite boy and lifted him off the ground.

"Merlin, Weasley. Don't you ever feed Potter?" Theo asked in shock "He weighs nothing."

"He's always been small." Ron said, "Hermione brews up nutrition potions and slips it into his goblet during mealtimes."

"Doesn't make much of a difference to his physical state." Hermione offered "His relatives never fed him properly, so his growth was stunted…better not to mention it."

"I don't understand how Potter hasn't murdered his family yet." Draco muttered, punching his pillow to fluff it, then fell bodily into his hammock "If it were me, they'd already be dead."

"Not if you were locked away without your wand" Ron snapped, throwing his blanket around Harry.

"You don't need magic to kill a muggle." Draco mused darkly, playing with the fringe of his white blonde hair "They do it all the time to each other."

.

A/N—

Translation to Draco's rant "que voudriez-vous que je fasse? Qu'est-ce que j'aurias du faire? Hein?! Je ne souhaite pas être un meurtre!"

"What would you like me to do? What will I have to do? Huh ?! I do not wish to be a murder!"


	6. Chapter 6

**A/N— apparently, I still have to add warnings at the beginning of my fics, for those people with weak/sensitive constitutions.**

 **So here we go.**

 **ALL my writings will include DARK themes! Themes of rape/murder/gore/graphic/adult erotic situations/death/existential struggle/ ect.**

 **I refuse to tone shit down. Its going to get darker. It always does with me, snickerdoodle.**

 **I enjoy writing a variety of relationship pairings- yup including SLASH! So, if you can't handle it- peace out. No need to send me hate mail, just find another fic.**

 **Okay.**

 **More angst and drama ahead.**

 **Enjoy.**

 **.**

 **.**

 **Secrets In the Room of Requirement**

 **RobinTheSlytherin**

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Chapter 6

Within the Wardrobe

.

"Room, I require coffee." Draco muttered tiredly, as his hammock shifted back into an armchair.

Draco had been watching over Potter for over an hour when he heard shifting in a hammock.

"Me too." Came Potter's strained voice, sounding like death. "Ah. Coffee. You fix everything."

On the coffee table a large pot of coffee appeared alongside a tray of warm bread rolls, smothered in butter.

"You're a fucking mess, Potty." Draco derided. He glanced over to find Potter's round green eyes staring at him, they looked too big for his terribly thin face. "You can't survive on coffee alone, and it's not going to fix you. I doubt anything can. You should ask the morgues if they take walk-in's."

"Well… Thanks." Harry muttered "You know…for last night. Thank you."

"Anytime. Really, tell me the next time I can bash your brain's in Potter." Draco grumbled over the table "It would sincerely be my pleasure."

Draco poured himself a cup of coffee, then to Harry's surprise, he poured another cup for him.

"T-thanks." Harry stuttered, taking a sip. His throat relaxed as the hot liquid slid down. It was bliss, this simple pleasure.

"So…Posession, huh?" Draco asked, too tired to work up a sneer. In fact, last night had taken more out of him than he cared to admit. He still couldn't believe he defied the Dark Lord…what did that make him? How could he go home after this? The answer was simple. He couldn't.

"You're a fucking nut case, Potter."

"Yeah. That's me. Always mentally ill, never mentally chill." Harry mumbled, still having a hard time speaking. He tossed back the cup full of caffeinated garbage and leaned over his hammock to pour another cup "I'm thriving."

Draco stared at Harry, tracing the rim of his coffee cup slowly.

He really is thin- too thin, Draco thought , looks like a bloody third year, instead of a fifth year.

"Go back to sleep. You look like shit." Draco said, sounding unconcerned.

"Whenever I collapse next is purely up to the Gods." Harry chuckled, his smile fading a little "I think this is the longest conversation we've ever had without trying to fight each other."

"Gods?"

Harry waved a hand flippantly "God. Whatever."

Draco stared over the sleeping forms of Pansy and Theodore and nodded.

"So…" Harry said, feeling the awkwardness draw out "You said yesterday that I was from an Ancient family, like yours?"

"Ancient AND Noble. The Potters." Draco nodded, massaging his temple with his long white forefinger "Traced back to before the birth of Gregory the Great, 530 A.D. You're first chronicled ancestor was a Germanic monk known by the name William Pötter. Monks were one of the few groups of people who learned to read and write, so he. But of course, he was the first documented member, you could very well go back hundreds more years."

"How do you know all of this?" Harry asked in awe "I know nothing about my family. I didn't even know what my mother and father looked like till I came to Hogwarts."

"Yes. I figured." Draco scorned in a mocking tone "Which was one of the reasons I tried to befriend your ungrateful self. I tried to offer my education on the matter, and you threw it back in my face."

"No. You just wanted to be a mean ass." Harry rolled his eyes. "Admit it."

Draco blinked, meeting Harry's eye again.

"Your grandfather on your father's side was named Fleamont Potter. He was the inventor of Sleek-Easys hair formula. It's still popular, and his face is on the bottle as well. I myself have Fleamont's products. They're quality, and pureblood invented." Draco said, blowing Harry's mind "You should still be getting royalties from the product."

"Wow." Harry whispered in awe, turning to stare pensively at the ceiling "You're freaking amazing, Malfoy. A total git, but amazing too.""

At this Draco's head jerked, as if swatting away a irritating gnat.

"What, from the bottom of my heart, the fuck?" Draco sneered, feeling better after having his morning coffee "Okay we're done. Next you'll be wanting to paint my nails and braid my hair!"

"Wait!" Harry pleaded, sitting up, "Tell me what else you know!"

"Not to be dramatic, but I'd literally rather die. You had your choice on that matter years ago." Draco hissed, throwing down his coffee cup, and moving to stand.

Harry couldn't help but feel as if Draco Malfoy was…hurt?

Harry knew the boy's pride hadn't taken rejection well, but there must have been more to it.

No, Harry thought with a shake of his head, that's impossible.

"Room! I require a window!" Draco snapped as if ordering a house elf.

"Would it kill you to say please?" Harry bit

"Please get fucked, Potter." Draco replied with a smile as a wall length window appeared showing a whirling tempest thunder storm. The downpour and clouds coverage made it seem as if it were still night time. Every now and then lightning would flash, illuminating the Hogwarts grounds in sudden light.

"Great. A shitty start to a shitty day."

"I love it when the sky looks like the world is going to end." Harry said softly, snuggling into his hammock, and taking another sip of his coffee.

"Potter, you need a therapist." Draco jeered, shaking his head. "I don't know what's messier. Your hair or your life."

"This is the perfect weather!" Harry argued "It's the perfect weather to plot out day dreams and—"

"I beg your pardon?" Draco choked into his coffee.

"Don't tell me you don't like to day dream." Harry grinned looking boyish and untainted despite what happened to him hours ago.

"Ladies and gentlemen, may I present the savior of the wizardly world." Draco scoffed.

"Exactly. Finally, someone who gets me." Harry smirked, taking another sip of his coffee.

"How can you be so unaffected?" Draco asked, suddenly feeling revolted "You talk about daydreaming and sit there like everything's okay. The Dark Lord was inside of your body. Had you been able to use your magic, you would have killed both of your little friends. You would have raped Granger, and if I was a little more sadistic- more than I already am…I would have followed his orders. Perhaps I would have held her down as you raped her. Perhaps I would have pulled out Weasley's eyes like the Dark Lord ordered me."

"You wouldn't have done any of those things." Harry said simply "That's not who you are. Sure, you're a mean bastard…but you wouldn't do that."

"How do you know what I'm capable of, Potter?" Draco muttered absently. "I've done things in my life that would shock you."

Draco studied Potter who was still and looking out the window. An expression of wretchedness and self-loathing passed over Potter's face. Draco watched it without feeling much sympathy. He had experienced the Dark Lord, maybe not as invasive, but it was still something that haunted him.

"For your information, I am affected." Potter said gradually, staring at the storm thoughtfully "Sometimes I wish I never befriended Ron and Hermione. That I just left them alone."

"Well, you're not very smart." Draco shrugged. "Now stop being so melancholy. It's annoying."

"Sorry if my feelings offend you, Malfoy." Harry exhaled, lacking the strength to argue back.

"Your very existence offends me, Potter." Draco shot back. "Now, do I have to worry about you turning into a red eyed monster and killing me? Or can I take my eyes off you of your geeky face for more than a minute?"

"I promise I won't make a pact with the red eyed demon lord." Harry pouted, sinking lower into his hammock, wishing it would turn into a fluffy warm baguette.

Draco narrowed his eyes "Not sure I believe you. But fine."

The Slytherin sat on the ledge of the window looking out pensively. Harry wondered what he could say that wouldn't start an argument. Feeling Harry's eyes on him, Draco jerked back around to face the green-eyed boy.

"Shouldn't you be, I don't know, fucking off or something?" He spat.

"Finding a fresh new daydreaming plot is honestly the best feeling." Harry said as he stood up and walked towards the windows ledge to sit down opposite of Draco. "Today I think I'll visit the Italian country side wearing white linen and eat from a fruit bowl."

"You're a fruit bowl Potter."

They sat in silence for a better part of an hour before Hermione moved. She had heard everything Draco and Harry had said, and it made her think.

Maybe she should try to build a bridge between the Gryffindors and Slytherins?

After everyone had woken, the hammocks and armchairs disappeared altogether, leaving the Room of Requirement completely empty. Even the window disappeared so that everyone had fallen to the ground and was grumbling in irritation.

They heard another 'POP' song and in the far side of the room appeared a tall wardrobe. It was black and stood on four spindled legs. It was beautiful, but what could be inside?

"Thank Merlin!" Pansy clapped, rushing towards the wardrobe "I'm dying for some fresh clothes!"

"Parkinson wait!" Ron shouted, running after her. "Don't touch it! Stop!"

Harry was running after the Slytherin as well, understanding what Ron just had.

And then as Pansy opened the wardrobe, she screamed an ungodly piercing scream.

Draco and Theodore rushed to her side but stopped just short, looking on in horror.

Hermione stepped closer and saw what it was Pansy saw.

Pansy knelt on the ground and in front of her was a dead house elf…no, not dead! It was still alive!

Hermione gasped. The house elf's arms had been torn off, leaving two bloody stumps where its arms should have been. It was covered in lacerations from head to toe. Had it not been for the pointed nose and floppy ears, Hermione might have not realized what it was.

"Mistress…" the house elf cried softly, in agony, pleading up at Pansy who clutched her face in horror.

"Binks!" Pansy cried, pulling at her short black bob "I…I didn't mean it! I didn't! I'm s-sorry Binks!"

"Mistress… b-be… well. Binks…loves mistress Pan…sy." The elf cried its last breath as it tried pushing out its legs to move its body closer to Pansy.

"I'm sorry! I'm sorry!" Pansy screamed, throwing her body over the elf, trying to pick her up. The elf's body was so soaked in blood that it kept slipping out of her hands.

Ron was the first to move forward.

He had been the first to figure out what was happening and stepped forwards to stand in front of Pansy.

The house elf stood up from its dead position, smirking evilly and began to shift.

Instead of an elf, two figures appeared.

The first was Harry who lay struggling on the floor. The second figure was Ron himself who was strangling Harry to death.

"Do-IT!" the form of Harry urged the weeping Ron "K-KI-LL ME!"

"NO!" Both Ron's cried out, shaking their heads.

Hermione understood.

These were Bogarts.

And Ron was being forced to watch himself kill Harry, who begged him to do so.

The Bogart Ron screamed and cried as he continued to strangle Bogart Harry. And then after a few more moments, Bogart Harry turned purple, his lips turned an ashy color…and he was dead.

A wild, consuming cry came from the real Ron, who pulled at his red hair, yanking it violently. He was a perfect fright to behold.

"NO!" Ron screamed over and over again, his head bowed in defeat. "No, no, no, no!"

Hermione moved forward, her legs shaking as she knew what she had to do…what the room wanted of them.

Hermione pulled Ron back, who turned and threw his arms around the real Harry Potter. Harry held Ron, telling him repeatedly that it wasn't real and kissing his cheeks, but Ron wasn't listening. He was overcome with grief and held Harry tighter, as if he might slip away.

The Bogart turned to Hermione and smirked before shifting into the image of her parents.

Their expressions were vacant- detached as they looked at her, and Hermione knew they weren't real, but that didn't stop her from stepping forward.

"Mum? Dad?" Hermione whispered, smiling up at them.

"I'm sorry?" Her father looked down at her politely "Do we know you?"

"Oh darling, of course we don't!" her mother smile, patting her father's hand.

"Mum!" Hermione cried out, shaking her head "It's me...its Mione!"

"Sorry, I don't recall us ever meeting, before now." Her father said smiling. "Have a pleasant day."

He looked happy. They both did. Holding hands, both walked past her towards Draco who appeared as white as a sheet.

Behind Hermione's parents appeared another image who raised its wand and fired a jet of green light at both of them.

"No!" Draco shouted, backing up. "Don't!"

The Bogart still seemed slightly formless as it shifted, and Draco was already a mess.

"ENOUGH!" He bellowed, sweat staring to form over her face, causing Draco's pale white hair fringe to cling to it.

The Boggart changed, and as it did, Draco stopped shouting and became very quiet. Deathly quiet.

Hermione still rooted in fear by her own Bogart, could only look on helplessly as Draco's bogarts turned into his father.

Lucius Malfoy stood in all his glory and dressed in fine black robes. He stopped mid stride, glaring disapprovingly sown at his son.

"Do understand why I'm here today?" Lucius snapped with an accusatory distain "Do you know what I had to come all the way up to the school, taking time out of my busy schedule? And you let a blasted room get the better of a Malfoy!"

"Father I—"

Lucius stepped closer to Draco, leaning over so that he was inches from the boy's stiff form.

"Are you not ashamed that a Mudblood excels in every subject, while you lag behind?" Lucius hissed hatefully down at his son "You've always lacked nerve and skill. Such a pity. And stuck in a room without magic? You're not better than a squib, I've always told your mother so—"

"Leave mother out of this." Draco whispered as Lucius began to circle him.

"She is so very lenient with you. Enough to overlook the obvious. But I can see right through you, Draco." His father continued "Why have you not thought of a way out of here? Or perhaps you're enjoying the company of blood traitors and the mudbloods?"

"We're trapped in here. I don't want to be, I'm trying!" Draco's head went up, trying to sound confident. His voice quivered, on the verge of breaking. "I've always done my best for you!"

"Lucius!" came frantic feminine voice behind Lucius "Lucius please, he's trying his best."

Draco turned to find his mother, standing behind him, her hand resting on his shoulder.

Lucius stared at the figure of Narcissa Malfoy contemptuously, and without moving threw his wife back against the opposite wall.

"Mother!" Draco screamed, rushing towards her, but stopped as Lucius blocked his path.

"You need to stop defending him, Narcissa. You've turned him into this soft nancy! Look at him! He's no better than a girl!" Lucius shouted, advancing on Draco, who stumbled back then stopped raising his chin a little.

"Leave mother alone." Draco said, forgetting everyone else altogether.

And then Lucius laughed and laughed and laughed. His laughter rang out, mocking and cruel. Draco's face crumpled, transfigured with pain, and he began to shout.

"Shut up! You're not real! SHUT UP!"

"Oh Draco, you'll be the downfall of our Ancient and Noble house." Lucius continued to laugh "and I'll be right there to end your worthless existence when it happens!"

"Stop!" came Theodore Notts voice, standing in front of Draco, who was as white as a sheet.

Draco blinked and looked around to find everyone in the room staring at him. Draco spun around towards his mother, but she was gone. Tears streamed down his cheeks, as he sank to his knees and stared at the wall where his mother had just been.

The Bogart that now faced Theo, which transformed into an image of Theo on his kneels wearing a black cloak.

He was kissing a bloody bare foot which belonged to the Dark Lord. And then the Dark Lord disappeared leaving him completely alone with nothing but the taste of blood on his lips. The image seemed devoid of life, and stood to face the real Theodore Nott, vacantly.

Out of thin air fell a black Death Eater mask. Bogart Theo caught it deftly and placed it over his vacant face.

And then he was completely alone.

And completely twisted.

Theo didn't flinch at the figure, but Harry could see the boy was too terrified to move, much less speak.

Harry was still holding Ron.

Seeing the Bogart, Harry quickly moved Ron behind himself, and faced the boggart with a defiant expression.

"Enough." Harry shouted, as the Bogart turned to him and morphed into a clone of Harry with blood red eyes. "Enough."

The figure held the head of Ron and Hermione, that dripped on the floor. The Bogart of Harry wore the Dark Lords flowing black robes, and his feet were also bare and bloody.

"You're nothing compared to what I went through last night." Harry said in a frail angry voice, stretching out his hand "Riddikulus!"

None of them had expected anything to happen, but something did. A ball of light shot out of Harry's hand and hit the Bogart full in the chest.

The thing was thrown back into the wardrobe which sealed itself and disappeared with a pop.

Hermione turned around so sharp that her breath left her at the sight of Harry's crumpled face. He gasped out and crouched on the back of heels, pressing the palms of his hands against his eyes. She hadn't seen Harry cry like this since the night Cedric died.

No one moved for the longest time, still mentally stuck in the horror they had faced.

The room had ripped them open and exposed their darkest secrets to one another.

Hermione looked around and saw only despair. She turned around and began walking towards the window that appeared again. The storm continued to rage outside, and Hermione wondered if it would ever stop.

If there would ever be peace…

 **SSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSS**

An hour had passed and everyone in the room was still shaken.

Pansy took to holding her middle and rocking back and forth. Silent tears ran down her face. She was still staring at the spot on the floor where the Hous Elf 'Binks' had been.

Pansy traced the spot on the floor, leaning down to rest her forehead against the cold stone. She looked like a grieving mother.

Ron and Harry were huddled together, locked in a strong hug that couldn't be broken. They were standing now and swaying, to comfort one another. Harry was humming into Ron's ear as the red head sobbed quietly into Harry's shoulder.

Theodore Nott sat at the window, looking blankly into the storm outside, seemingly lost in his own thoughts.

And Draco, Hermione observed, was sitting against the wall, the Bogart form of his mother had been thrown. His pale grey eyes were red rimmed and puffy. His legs were crossed elegantly at the ankle, and his hands were folded neatly in his lap.

Hermione saw the state of everyone and wrung her hands together and walked the length of the room. She paced up and down the room, then stopped and studied everyone again.

They'd all been rendered powerless.

There had been more than magic had been taken from them.

"Room?" Hermione asked in a broken voice, breaking the horrible silence "Could we please have a fort made up of warm laundry linens… and could we have a pot of tea?"

There was a 'POP!' and in the center of the room stood a crooked and imperfect structure made of: pillows, armchairs, white linen, and pillows. The entrance as a small linen opening, and Hermione started walking towards it.

"Follow me." She told the others, who watched her kick off her shoes and, crawl on her hands and knees into the structure.

Theodore Nott was the first one to follow, unable to keep staring out the window at the storm. Harry and Ron moved, kicking off their shoes as they went, and crawled inside.

Pansy looked at Draco, who remained sitting against the wall. She sighed and followed the others, wiping her face with the cuff of her robe.

Draco sat for ten more minuets before slowly standing. He considered the fort, then looked out the window to the stormy sky.

And then slowly, very slowly he began to walk towards the structure. He threw off his outer robe and kicked off his shoes. When he entered the thing, his mouth dropped open in awe.

Twinkling lights filled the fort, but other than the soft glow, it was dark….and quite comforting.

The room was larger that it looked outside, obviously expanded by magic. It was large enough that all of them could lay flat on the countless pillows and fluffy blankets that covered the floor. Everyone was already snuggled underneath, holding a pillow, or hiding beneath it.

Draco noted that Granger held out a hot cup to him with a tired smile.

Why would Granger think of such a thing for everyone? Draco thought, and as if reading his mind Hermione look a sip of her own cup and observed the twinkling fairy lights.

"Forts always make things better." Hermione said simply "Forts and hot tea are the best remedy."

Theo nodded, studying the lights "The only straight I am is straight up dead inside, and even this is making me feel alive."

Harry began to blink tiredly, and Draco understood. The Fort, or whatever Granger had made was warm and comforting, like a hug. It was a strange sort of magic that made one feel like nothing in the world could hurt him inside.

The Fort was safety, and everything good. Draco couldn't workup enough energy to hate it. He wanted to, Merlin he wanted to…but there was nothing left inside of him at the moment.

Hermione sat up, poring Harry another cup of tea, then calling out for the room to supply them with a vial of dreamless sleep.

The room refused to answer Hermione's request, which made her want to cry. Poor Harry must still feel terribly exhausted…. everyone must. Harry falling asleep without Dreamless Sleep left Harry's mind venerable and open.

"Harry, couldn't you try one of those techniques you learned in those….um… those lessons?" Hermione asked cryptically.

"It doesn't work for me, Mione." Harry said quietly "I wish it did, but it doesn't."

"Now I'm curious." Theo said, "What technique for what?"

Harry tapped the side of his head with his finger "He might come back if I fall asleep."

"Well." Theo sighed lifting himself up onto his elbows and crawled over to where harry lay "Guess, I'll just have to help you clear your mind, won't I?"

Draco gagged "Sick Theo."

"C'mer you skinny little train wreck." Theo chuckled pulling a protesting Harry against his chest to spoon him "Pipe down, Potter. It's just a cuddle."

Harry immediately blushed, his ears turning as red as Ron's when he gets mad.

"I'm not sure—"

"Stop being so defensive when I'm just trying to snuggle like a muggle." Theo smirked, snatching Harry's wand and throwing it over to Ron, then taking his own wand and handing it to Draco.

"He doesn't want you touching him, Nott!" Ron snapped.

"I'm going to snuggle Potter and nap, Weasley." Theo yawned, pulling Ron closer to his chest "So get over it. We all had a shitty morning."

"Its okay, Ron." Harry offered, as Theo pulled him closer.

No one said anything else as they drank their tea and wrapped thick blankets over themselves.

Hermione glanced over at Pansy, who's shoulders were shaking from her sobs. Draco saw too but made no move to comfort her. Ron, on the other hand, threw another blanket on top of Pansy, who accepted it without a word.

After a while everyone but Draco and Hermione had drifted to sleep.

Draco was once again staring at Hermione irately, lacking his usual venom in place of contemplation.

"Have you ever seen someone being raped?" Draco asked suddenly.

The question shook Hermione to her core. She shook her head.

"I have." Draco said quietly, still staring at her through his red rimmed eyes "Have you ever seen someone tortured in the vilest way imaginable that it haunts your every waking moment? Have you ever seen someone being eaten alive by a giant snake? Their fingernails breaking off from trying to claw away? Have you ever seen someone torn limb from limb by a werewolf, and then forcing the remains of someone's screaming head and torso to be kept living for another round of torture? Have you ever seen someone roasted alive? Have you ever seen death Granger?"

Hermione shook her head, her eyes brimming with tears. Something broke inside of her. She wanted to scoot closer towards Draco but stopped when he laid his head on a pillow and closed his eyes.

"Then how can this fucking room- or you dare to believe we could be friends? A cup of tea and pillows won't make things better. You can't begin to understand the horror inside us. How can you?" Draco said, with the first glimmer of expression coloring his voice, with his back to Hermione. "For all your book smarts… You know nothing Granger."

His voice became thin, rasping with emotions if it were an effort to speak.

"You don't know anything at all."

Hermione flinched back, tears streaming over her eyes. Outside the fort she could hear the rolling thunder crash.

Suddenly, she wanted to know everything there was to know about the cold-hearted blonde with his cruel words. Every time someone would try getting a little closer to him, he would take two steps back.

In her minds eye, Hermione saw her parent's expressionless faces that did not recognize her. She let her tears fall, wondering why the room had shown them such horrible sights.

Hermione moved to get away from him, and yet she was drawn to him against her will. She didn't move at all but wanting to exert a firm presser with her hand against Draco's shoulder. The twinkling fairy lights danced brilliant shadows over his form, and in that moment, Hermione wanted nothing to do with him.

"Please let us out." Hermione prayed, clasping her hands together "Let us out…please. I can't do this anymore."

Little did she know, Draco was thinking the exact same thing.

When would the storm calm?

When would it stop?

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.

.

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 **A/N— Please review!**

 **The gang will be talking about the boggarts next chapter! Stay tuned!**


	7. Chapter 7

A/N— So this chapter was supposed to have everyone talk about their Bogarts, but that will be next chapter. I'm sorry for posting so late, my stories will never be abandoned. And I love you all for supporting me.

And to my French readers, à mes amis français, mon coeur est avec vous.

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Chapter 7

L'appel du vide

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Draco jerked awake; a dagger of fear imbedded in his belly. His breathing was rapid, his heart bounding, and a thin layer of cold sweat broke out over his brow.

He ran a pale hand through his fringe and quickly glanced around. His body relaxed when he saw that he was still inside the…. whatever pillow fortress Granger had requested of the room.

Everyone was still sleeping, a sight that unnerved Draco to his core. At the moment, he was staring at the Hermione Granger, who was looking entirely too vulnerable for his liking.

More vulnerable than he thought she had the right to.

For a moment he studied her.

Her full pink mouth was slightly opened, her face relaxed and vacant of worry. Granger tended to wear a frown or chew her lower lip, especially when reading or thinking…which was almost all the time. Draco hated her long soft curls that spilled over her shoulders. He hated the way her chest slowly rose and fell with every breath she took. He hated her small slender hands and the pearl pink nail polish that coated her nails. He hated the curve of her body.

So human…

He hated her existence, because she was living proof that everything, he had ever been taught was wrong. It infuriated him because he had no valid argument against her blood. Draco knew this. He knew it and still he stood by his ideology.

Without it, he knew his world would fall apart.

And that was why he truly hated Hermione Granger.

She almost looked human in that moment, instead of something lesser than a blot to Wizarding kind. He hated her for looking so human.

The events of the morning flooded his mind, and Draco clenched his wand tighter. He saw his father's contemptuous expression. He saw his mother sad eyes…and he saw his own inadequacy.

And when Granger wrapped her arms around him, he felt as if she had caught him from a great fall.

Why did Granger do it? How could she do it? Why did she continue helping when all he ever did was spit venom back into her face? Nothing seemed to make sense anymore. His own actions that defying the Dark Lord said enough… He was changing.

And that terrified Draco to his core.

Even now, as Draco stared at Granger, he felt BOTH the need to hold her tight, and stomp on her peaceful face until it collapsed in on itself. The need to shatter her was so great that angry tears began prickling at the corners of his eyes.

As the tears threatened to fall Granger opened her hazel eyes.

Her hazel eyes widened at Draco's tearful murderous glower. It shook her when Draco smirked dangerously. Fear flickered behind her eyes….her hazel eyes tinted with yellow and amber.

"Draco—"

"Shut the fuck up." Draco breathed in utter revulsion, silencing her.

To say Hermione was shocked was an understatement, but her fear soon morphed into one of fearless defiance. She looked as exhausted as he felt. Her clothes unkept and rumpled, like his. Her large hazel eyes, soft and opaque as she stared fearlessly at him.

"No." Hermione glared back at Draco "And you will stop behaving like a fool. I'm sick of you."

Her words were low, steady, heated, with little emotion.

"What… did you say?" Draco breathed, his voice shaking

His unnerving smile didn't move Hermione, who sat up and slammed her pillow against the side of Draco's face.

"I said no!" Hermione snapped, causing the others to stir. "I'm not scared of you- you foul little wanker!"

"Wanker!" Draco sat up throwing her pillow back into her face.

"Yes! WANKER!" Hermione shouted louder, as an all-out pillow fight began between Draco and Hermione.

"Wanker- wanker- wanker!" Hermione panted, hitting Draco over the head repeatedly.

"You tell'em Mione." Came the muffled sleepy voice of Ron, who gave Hermione a thumbs up without lifting his head. "Give'da sod Hell."

"Watching me sleep like some kind of pervert!"

"As if anyone would want to get between your dirty snatch, Granger!" Draco ridiculed sharply, raising another pillow over his head and throwing it "Ugly- bucktoothed- frizzy headed—"

A foot connected against Draco's back causing him to fall into a dozen pillows, face first.

"Shut the fuck up, Draco." Theodore Nott grumbled, raising his leg to kick the blonde again "I'm not done cuddling Potter yet."

"Oh yes you are." Harry said thickly, rubbing his eyes with the back of his hand "Now get your prick off my arse, Nott."

"Don't act like you don't enjoy it, my little spoon." Theo purred, melting into Harry and pressing his erection harder against the smaller boy.

"I'm not a spoon. I'm a knife." Harry snapped, pulling his bottom away from Theos hard prick.

Hermione flushed a deep shade of red and promptly turned away.

"What are you all, twelve?" Hermione mumbled, dropping her own pillow.

"Yes. On a scale of one to ten. I _am_ a twelve." Draco sneered pompously. "Which is more than I can say for you, Granger."

"Just morning wood. Nothing to be ashamed of, _Harry_." Nott muttered without feeling, pulling Harry closer "Just enjoy the moment. I know I am. Might need a cigarette after this."

Draco rolled his eyes, seeing Theo's antics enough to become desensitized by it. He often attacked Blaise, Greg, and Draco in such manner, but was usually hexed for his troubles.

"Sick Slytherins." Ron gagged, reaching over to grab Harry's arm and pulling him away from the Slytherin. "C'mon mate, kick him in the bullocks! Mione, get over here and help me!"

"WILL YOU ALL SHUT THE FUCK UP?!" Pansy screeched, rising out of the pillows and blankets that submerged her, like a horrid phantom.

Her usual sleek black bob was now a tangled mess around her neck. Her pristine makeup had all but vanished, leaving lipstick stains smeared across her mouth and left cheek. Her blouse had also gone undone, causing Ron to blush a deep shade of red.

He quickly let go of Harry for a moment before offering his blanket to her, shielding Pansy. At Ron's gesture towards her chest, Pansy glanced down to find her perky breasts had slipped out the top of her bra while she slept.

Pansy squeaked, snatching away Ron's blanket and hid beneath it. Ron smirked as she grumbled into the blanket and pillows.

"You look like a hamster, Parkinson." Ron said without venom, then froze at his insinuation. "I don't mean your boobs look like hamsters- they don't!…Those look fine- I mean. Merlin, forget what I said!—"

"No offense Weasle but—" Pansy breathed in deeply from her blanket nest and began screaming incoherently.

Draco, and Theo covered their ears as Pansy screamed in a tantrum, kicking and spitting profanities from under the blankets. The Slytherins looked as if they had to deal with his on a daily basis, which made Harry, Ron and Hermione scooted back in shock.

"Its going to be a while." Theo shouted over Pansy's tantrum, his hands clamped tightlu over his ears.

"Should've never invited any of you Slytherins into my blanket fort!" Hermione sighed, over Pansy's screams, surrendering her patience.

Harry rushed towards the fort exit as Pansy continued to kick and pound the floor with her fists, like a petulant child. Draco and Theo followed, as if this were something that happened often.

Hermione rushed out as soon as they did, still bewildered by the sight of a teenage girl throwing a tantrum like a 3 year old.

Ron, on the other hand, was having none of it and leapt to his feet, ripping the blankets and pillows off of Pansy. She fought for them back, in an ill-tempered tug-a-war. Ron growled and yanked Pansy up by her upper arm, half carrying – half dragging her out of the fort.

Draco and Theo still had their hands over their ears as Pansy threw herself on the floor and continued to scream bloody murder. She pounded the floor with her fists and kicked her legs back of forth, angrily.

What no one expected was when Ron Weasley lifted Pansy into his arms and trudge across the room to where six squishy armchairs appeared. He sat down heavily, draping the screaming Pansy across his lap.

Everyone held their breath in silence as Ron's hand raised and landed with a resounding SMACK on her bum.

SMACK!

SMACK!

SMACK!

Draco and Theo didn't move but watched in awe as Ron continued to spank the screaming Pansy Parkinson, like a naughty child. Her cantankerous screams turned into sobs, and after the twentieth spank, she stopped kicking.

Harry and Hermione's jaws dropped to the floor in disbelief, but also relief when Pansy's tantrum completely stopped.

Still, Ron continued to spank her bottom. It was super uncomfortable for everyone to watch, but at the same time a great relief. Even Hermione couldn't bring herself to scold Ronald. Harry on the other hand rubbed his own bottom, as if feeling Pansy's pain. Fortunately, Harry remained quiet, but had to turn away.

Then after another minuet of hearing Pansy's quiet sobs, Ron stopped. He pulled down her skirt to cover her red bottom and thighs and gently sat her up on his lap.

"Blow." Ron snapped, pulling an orange Chudly Cannons handkerchief out of his trousers, and held it up to her nose.

Pansy's breath hitched as she looked hatefully at his handkerchief but leaned forward to blow anyway. Snot, tears, and smeared makeup covered her blotchy face, and despite the anger clear on her face, she stayed quietly in his lap.

Ron began to smother circles on her back, and making hushed sounds of comfort to the sniffling girl.

"Draco?" Theo muttered in disbelief, staring at Ron with something akin to awe "I think Weasley is the Pansy Whisperer."

"Morgana's tits, I think I might respect him." Draco sneered at his own admonishment, looking ill "Why the fuck have we never thought of that? Five years of that shit, and Weasley was able to quiet Pans in five minutes!"

"Fuck me." Theo huffed in disbelief.

Meanwhile, Ron shook a finger at Pansy and leaned in so that his face was inches from hers.

"Next time I'll ask the Room for a paddle. And then I'll spank you while you stand with your nose in a corner, Parkinson." Ron threatened, unblinking in his warning "Whenever you feel like screaming- or throwing yourself on the floor, just talk to us… talk to _me_ for fucks sake. You don't like me and I don't have a very high opinion of you, but you can't just scream bloody murder. Use your sharp mean little words- but the world doesn't revolve around you."

"W-why not?" Pansy sniffled threatening hyperventilation, her bottom lip trembling.

Ron's expression softened, and he pulled Pansy to his chest, as she burst into genuine tears.

"W-why not?...Why n-n-not?" Pansy cried, clutching Ron's robes tightly as he stroked her hair and smoothed circles around her back. "Why?"

"You don't need to shit on people to get them to pay attention to you, Parkinson." Ron offered, bouncing her on his knee gently.

"Yes I do."

"No. People don't respond to that. Even slimy Slytherins like Malfoy and Nott don't deserve that shit."

"Yes they do!" Pansy snapped.

"Well…. okay maybe they do." Ron nodded, turning to give the other two Slytherins the finger. "Just don't be the human version of a kidney stone. Capeshe?"

Pansy sniffed, dragging the back of her hand over her nose and nodded.

"Capeshe."

Draco and Theo looked as if Pansy had grown a second head. They didn't even seem fazed at Ron's crude gestures.

"Theo?" Draco nudged Nott in the ribs without looking away.

"I have no idea." Theos shook his head. His light brown hair slipping over his shoulders.

"He's really good friend." Harry smiled proudly at Ron, although still embarrassed about what he had just witnessed.

"Merlin, Potter." Theo's eyes widened and a depraved smirk curled the corners of his mouth "Now I have an image of your naked arse over Weasley's knee, throbbing red. I think I'm in love. Truly."

Draco and Hermione, on the other hand, threw one another looks that clearly read 'How do you put up with them?'.

"Stop being thick." Harry said to Theo, rolling his vibrant green eyes "I really mean it. Ron is great. When I first met him, he sat with me and offered me his sandwich, even though it was all he had. He sacrificed himself for me and Hermione when we were 11, because he thought we were worth saving. A true knight in shining armor. He saved me again the following year from my relatives and gave me food, a room, and his family, even though it was hard with a cramped house. He always seems to be the one to take care of me and Mione, when we're too busy. When we were thirteen, he stood on a broken leg to shield me away from someone we thought was a murderer….and I remember him saying—"

"'You'll have to go through me first'. And he said it with such conviction. He was ready to die for us." Hermione smiled fondly.

Draco's expression darkened further, then just as quickly school into one of stoic disinterest. He turned and walked down the other end of the Room and began to pace.

Despite themselves, the others stared at Ron rocking Pansy against his chest. Everyone knew that Rons 'shit list' included Slytherins, right below: Voldemort, Snape, Homework, and guys kissing his little sister. Yet, there he was…

"Room." Ron asked, looking up "I require a clean outfit for Pansy, and the toiletries and personal items that make her feel good."

Pansy blinked as the Room of Requirement gave her a neat pile of everything that Ron asked for with a 'POP!'.

"Go take a hot shower and try some breathing exercises." Ron said pulling the Slytherin girl to her feet "I get angry a lot too. Sometimes it helps."

"I still hate your guts, Weasley." Pansy snapped.

"And your head looks like you just participated in a gang bang." Ron smirked, pitching Pansy's chin playfully. "Hamster gang bang."

Pansy snorted as she hopped off Ron's lap and marched towards the bathroom, avoiding everyone's eyes. The door slammed, but Ron didn't look concerned. In fact, he looked amused.

"So….are we just going to forget about this morning, or what?" Theo asked, leaning casually against the window. There was still a storm outside, but it had quieted to a quiet rain. The sky wasn't as black as it had been that morning, but it was still a bleak grey color.

Draco stopped pacing and spun around, throwing Nott a filthy look that promised retribution.

"Yes. Yes we are, because I'll be damned if we're all going to sit in a circle and talk about our feelings!" Draco scoffed as if he didn't know the meaning of such a word, folding his arms over his chest. "We are not authorizing a unnecessary display of….of…"

"Emotions?" Harry offered with a snort over his shoulder as he walked towards Ron. "God forbid we have those!"

"Po—I swear to Merlin!" Draco hiss through his clenched jaw, following Harry towards the purple armchairs "If the Room offers us another game', I'm requesting pin the nails on the Jesus. Just to spite you, Potter!"

"I'm actually impressed that you know Jesus is related to muggle Christianity." Harry nodded, impressed, then pulled out his wand threateningly "Also, do not take the Lords name in vain, you barbie bleached skank."

"What the fu—"

Hermione shifted her weight from one foot to the other, then took a deep breath.

"I think we should." Hermione said against her better judgement "Its what the Room wants. For us to get to know each other better."

"Uh…Pin the nails on Jesus?" Harry asked, confused.

"You're an idiot, Potter." Draco sighed, looking at Harry as if he were a lost cause.

Theo nodded from his place at the window seal "Stupid for sure. But cute."

"I _mean_ ," Hermione emphasized "That we have a talk… about the Bogarts."

"I would rather strip naked, and let Weasle spank me, than do any of that." Draco shook his head resolutely "I mean it."

"No, you don't." Theo sighed regretfully, tapping his temple "but that image is going into my wank bank."

"Sick." Ron gagged for the second time today. "I swear if I have to listen to anymore of—"

However, whatever Ron was about to say was cut off by a shrill scream. Pansy barged out of the bathroom in what appeared to be comfortable looking pink sweats with a pink sports bra and a soft sweater that had the words—

' _I admire the beta fish. Because I too am beautiful and want to fight everyone.'_

On her feet were white, comfortable looking socks with white lace around the ankles.

"What the Hell is this, Weasley!?" Pansy snapped, pinching the edge of her slouchy pink sweater.

"Uh. Clothes?" Ron shrugged "Did you practice the breathing?"

"These are NOT my clothes! As if I would ever wear something so….so plebian! I've never own such…what even is this?!"

Ron smiled, covering his mouth with his hand "Sweats to laze around in. Comfy huh? Harry introduced me to them in second year. And not to sound like my father, but Muggles are fucking geniuses!"

Pansy's mouth gaped open and close like a fish. Draco and Theo stared at her garb in horror.

"I'm….I'm wearing MUGGLE CLOTHES!?" Pansy shrieked.

Ron gave her a warning look that made Pansy bite her lip.

"ROOM! I require decent clothes!" Draco shouted suspiciously in a panic. "Wizarding robes!"

He gasped as a pile of soft black sweats appeared on his lap. The sweats looked as soft as rabbit fur, but Draco was having none of it and promptly threw them across the room.

"I require MY own clothes- from my trunk!" Draco commanded, but there came nothing, until the room launched his discarded clothes back at him.

The sweats landed on his face, and every time he tried to throw them, they would always come hurling back, clinging to his face, like an octopus.

"GET OFF!" Draco's muffled voice cried as he struggled to rip the sweats off his head.

Harry and Ron leaned against one another as they laughed their heads off. Pansy ignored Draco and strode to an armchair next to Ron. No one else noticed, except for Hermione, who raised an eyebrow in her direction.

One by one the Room gave each of them a pair of sweats, socks and undergarments for them to wear.

Finally, seeing this was a battle he would not win, Draco accepted the clothes, but froze when he saw what was written across the sweatshirt.

' _Aut viam inteniam aut faciam'_

Draco fumed, "Idiotic muggle fashion."

Harry craned his neck to read Draco's shirt.

"Whats it mean?" Harry asked, trying to pronounce the words but failing brilliantly.

"'Aut viam inteniam aut faciam', its Latin for 'Learn fucking Latin, Potter.'." Draco deflected maliciously, seeming to enjoy inventing difficulties.

Hermione rolled her hazel eyes "It translates 'I will either find a way, or I will make one.', its actually quite motivating, given our current situation."

"Wait…Isn't Latin a dying language?" Harry scrunched up his nose. "How am I supposed to know that?"

"Yes, Potter. Its dying. Latin is completely useless. Especially to our kind." Draco said with a straight face, as his breathing hitched "Wonder what we could possibly need it for? Nothing comes to mind... Oh! Wait! I wonder if it might be important for EVERY FUCKING SPELL EVERY CREATED, YOU DUMB PIECE OF—"

"Okay! Okay!" Harry threw his hands up in surrender. "Sorry! Geez, I just had a brain fart, okay?"

"Your brain is a fart, Potter! Merlin, how do you get through life like this? I clearly haven't given Granger enough credit for putting up with you!" Draco seethed, ignoring the bewildered look Hermione had given him for the back handed compliment "What did you think Latin was good for? Summoning demons? You're proficient enough in that area."

"Can't we ever have a normal, civilized conversation?" Harry whined, flopping back into his armchair.

"I won't be lectured on civilization by the likes of you, Potter!"

"I WOnt bE LeCTURed On civILIZATIon by THe lIKes Of yOU!" Harry mocked back, crossing his eyes childishly.

Theo snickered at Harry's antics "Your mother, may she rest in peace, must be so proud of her lazy, rebellious, demon summoning, gay child from atop her cloud in heaven."

"I'd like to think so!" Harry grinned at the Slytherin in solidarity, sitting up and bouncing in his seat "See Malfoy? How hard is it to be nice?"

Ron ignored others and turned back to his orange sweats that read—

' _You can't do epic shit with basic people_.

Ron laughed in approval. There was also a picture of a Jack Russle Terrier, an Otter, and a Stag on the front, high fiving each other.

Harry broke into a brighter smile when he saw the pictures on Ron's sweatshirt.

"Hey look! Its us!" Harry said, pointing to the stag then cupping his pink cheeks. "Prongs! Soooo freaking CUTE!"

"Right?!" Ron gushed, giving a salute to no one in particular "Thanks Room! I forgive you for trying to kill me!"

Draco gave Hermione a look of pity at what she had to put up with daily. His fingers rubbed circles into his throbbing temples.

Harry and Ron stood to strip, causing the Slytherins to balk and blush. Pansy especially, turned a deep shade of crimson. Even her ears were heating up, as she spared a quick glance at Ron's broad chest and muscular arms.

"Sick." Draco gagged, his eyes widening as Ron threw his dirty school shirt at his face.

Draco wretched again and threw it back.

"Get fucked." Ron challenged as he stripped down to his underwear. "If you don't like it, look away."

Hermione sighed and stood to hold up her cloak, making a barrier between Ron and Harry and the rest of the room as they took off their underwear and socks.

Pansy, was the only one who didn't look away, clearing seeing his outline through the cloak.

Pansy had to admit that puberty was doing good things for the red head.

"Oh for fucks sake!" Draco gagged "Goddamn Gryffindors!"

"What? We see each other every day in the showers and after Quidditch practice in the locker room." Harry shrugged "Its communal, isn't yours?"

"Certainly not!"

Hermione didn't comment, choosing to ignore her best friends until they were properly dressed. However, she did notice Theodore Nott's unwaveringly hard gaze at her friends and frowned.

"Whatever, that just makes us cooler and more confident than Slytherins." Harry boasted.

"We're so cool." Ron panted, ruffling Harry's black hair, causing Theo's blue eyes to narrow between the two.

They were now down to their underwear and proceeded to walk behind their armchairs to slip on a fresh pair. Theo was still incensed at Ron, but stilled when he was the scars littering Potter's body. He might have taken the time to fawn over the pretty boy, but a cold calculation at the state of Potter's body turned all thoughts to ice.

"The coolest." Harry agreed with a snort, pulling on the rest of his clothes to hide his scars, unbothered "Can't understand why Professor Snape doesn't like me."

"Yes. A real mystery there." Pansy muttered; her eyes covered behind her hands

"I've underestimated how much patience Granger possesses. I really have. She's a goddamn saint." Draco pinching the space between his eyes, which he had averted, unlike Theodore. "I think my eyes are bleeding."

Nott was still glaring at Ron with open dislike, all playfulness from before gone. A dangerous atmosphere surrounded him, making the ends of his wavy ash blond hair to crackle. His blue eyes had turned ice, now staring at Harry.

Ron, didn't notice and leaned over to see what Harry's sweat shirt read as Malfoy still appeared visibly horrified at how they had shamelessly stripped naked in front of everyone without a second thought.

Harry's green sweats had a holographic sheen to them and read

' _Me? Crazy? I should get down off my unicorn and slap you!'_

"Accurate." Ron nodded, ruffling Harry's black hair.

Hermione glanced down at hers and blushed when she read, _'I read the rules before I break them. Don't fuck with me.'_ , on her red sweat shirt.

Theodore, still looking icily, held his blue sweat shirt up to his chest. It read- _'_

' _I could corrupt you. It would be easy, baby.',_ and nodded in approval, still not smiling.

"Its not wrong." He noted stoically, standing up to head to the bathroom.

Theo stood and walked towards the bathroom door, slamming it behind him and leaving everyone else in awkward silence.

Harry stared after Theodore Nott and felt something twinge at his heart. He pushed the feeling away as he finished dressing and turned back to the others.

"So. Therapy session, anyone?"

This time Draco didn't bother glaring.

"With a side of a bleach cocktail, thank you." Draco sighed, falling back into his armchair "Fuck it. Why not? Let's talk about our fee…' _feelings_ '. L'appel du vide, bitches."

.

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A/N— L'appel du vide "call to the void". For example it's that feeling you get when you stand on a cliff and feel the urge to leap off it.

I love you all. I will keep writing, so please stay with me…. please 3


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